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FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. - Only four months after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected a bipartisan bill for universal background checks of gun buyers.
The New York Times reports that not only did the bill for background checks fail to gain the 60 votes needed to pass, but a ban on assault weapons and a ban on high-capacity gun magazines also failed to gain majority support.
According to CNN, the bills failed in a 54-46 vote.
"I want to make it clear to the American people. We can still bring about measures that reduce gun violence. Even without Congress, my administration will keep doing everything it can to protect more of our communities," President Barack Obama said in an early evening press conference. "But we can do more if Congress gets its act together."
During the news conference, Obama said this was "a pretty shameful day for Washington" and that if voters were disappointed in Congress, they should let their legislators know on Election Day.
U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, both Democrats from Connecticut, voted for the bill.
“I am outraged that the Senate failed to pass this commonsense legislation. With more than 90 percent of Americans supporting background checks, it is simply unfathomable that this obvious legislation did not garner the needed votes to pass the Senate and move onto the House of Representatives," U.S. Representative Jim Himes, D-Fairfield, said in a statement. “If you cannot pass a background check, you should not own a gun. I am bitterly disappointed in this Congress' inability to pass commonsense gun violence prevention legislation, but I remain determined to work with my colleagues to ensure safer schools and communities for our children.”
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