14 Hours, 50 Minutes: Chris Murphy Scores Ninth Longest Filibuster in History For Gun Control
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut had just been elected to the Senate — and not yet even assumed office — when a gunman opened fire on Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 12, 2012, killing 20 children and 6 others.
Frustrated by the lack of response of his Senate colleagues in the wake of mass shooting after mass shooting, Senator Murphy stood on the Senate floor Wednesday and began what would become the ninth longest filibuster since 1900, all in the name of gun control measures. After 14 hours and 50 minutes, and with the help of about a dozen of his Democratic party peers, Murphy announced that a compromise had been reached:
I am proud to announce that after 14+ hours on the floor, we will have a vote on closing the terror gap & universal background checks
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 16, 2016
“We did not have that commitment when we started today,” Murphy said.
At 11:21 a.m. ET Wednesday, Murphy began his quest, making the following impassioned plea in the process:
“I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough of the ongoing slaughter of innocents, and I’ve had enough of inaction in this body.”
When asked shortly after 7:30 p.m. about his endurance to maintain control of the floor, Senator Murphy remarked that a long rehabilitation process from a lingering back injury prepared him for the marathon. The filibuster came in direct response to the deadliest act of gun violence in the history of our country, as a gunman opened fire on a gay nightclub in Orlando killing 49 people and injuring more than 50 more early Sunday morning.
Murphy knows his work is far from over.
This would never have happened without you. Without your outpouring of support- your calls, tweets & emails. Your deafening calls for action
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 16, 2016
This is one step. The fight is far from over. But there are millions of voices calling for change. And we cannot stop pushing #Enough
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 16, 2016
15 hrs on the floor. 2 hrs of sleep. And I’m back on my (tired) feet, ready to keep pressing Congress to end its silence on gun violence.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 16, 2016
“I just couldn’t take it anymore,” said Murphy on CBS This Morning. “We’re gonna work today to make sure we have that commitment to bring those votes before the body.”
“The American public agrees with us,” Senator Murphy said after only two hours sleep, “that if you’re on the terrorist watch list and you’re not allowed to fly on a plane then you certainly shouldn’t be able to buy a dangerous assault weapon.” In addition, Murphy and Senate Democrats are hopeful to get a vote on an expansion of background checks as soon as next week.
“I think we made incredibly progress,” he concluded.
Watch the above interview from CBS This Morning.
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J.D. Durkin (@jiveDurkey) is an editorial producer and columnist at Mediaite.
[image via screengrab]
