Democrats in the Senate have halted consideration of spending legislation in an effort to force a vote on gun control legislation.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., took to the Senate floor to launch an argument in favor of legislation aimed at expanding background checks and prohibiting those who are on a federal terror watch list from purchasing guns.
“He intends to hold the floor until we have a path forward on some votes,” a Democratic Senate aide told the Washington Examiner.
Democrats want an “up or down” vote on an amendment that would ban those on the terror watch list from purchasing weapons and to expand background checks to include firearms sold at gun shows.
“I can’t tell you how hard it is to look into the eyes of the families of those little boys and girls who were killed in Sandy Hook and tell them that almost four years later, we’ve done nothing, nothing at all to reduce the likelihood that that will happen again to another family,” Murphy said. “And I shudder to think what it’s going to be like for Sen. Nelson four years from now to talk to the parents of those that were killed this weekend in Orlando and tell them that four years after Orlando, eight years after Newtown, Congress has been utterly silent.”
Murphy was joined on the floor by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Cory Booker, D-N.J.
Murphy said the legislation “has nothing to do with the limitation on an individual’s Second Amendment rights,” which is an argument the GOP makes in opposition to the Democratic proposals.
“I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough of the ongoing slaughter of innocence, and I’ve had enough of inaction in this body,” he said.
The Democratic effort comes in the wake of a terrorist mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday that killed 49 people and wounded 53.
“We are here today to say enough,” Booker said. “I have cleared my entire day so I can stay on this floor to support Sen. Murphy until he pushes this body to come to consensus.
Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
