The Senate Just Rejected All Four Gun Control Amendments

There were four gun control measures up for a vote in the Senate tonight and all four of them failed.

The first amendment was a Republican amendment by Senator Chuck Grassley to bolster already-existing background checks that put a greater emphasis on mental health. 53 voted in favor, 47 voted against, but it failed because all four votes tonight needed 60 to proceed.

The second Republican amendment, from Senator John Cornyn, was a way of addressing the “terror gap”––the ability for people on the terror watch list to get guns––without going as far as the Democrats. It put a 72-hour review period out for anyone on that list in individual cases before approval on gun sales. That also went down, 53-47.

Then came the two Democratic amendments that resulted from Senator Chris Murphy‘s big filibuster last week: Murphy’s amendment to expand background checks, and Senator Dianne Feinstein‘s amendment on the terror gap––this one prohibiting anyone on the terror watch list from getting a gun.

The Murphy amendment failed 44-56, and the Feinstein amendment failed 43-57.

Two Republicans came across the aisle to vote in favor of the Feinstein amendment: Mark Kirk and Kelly Ayotte.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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