In front of several parents and relatives of Newtown shooting victims, the Senate on Wednesday voted down a measure that would have expanded background checks for the purchase of guns.
By a vote of 54-46, the bi-partisan bill crafted by Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania went down in defeat.
Their amendment would have expanded background check requirements for gun buyers to include people with criminal records or who are mentally ill.
President Barack Obama blasted those who voted against the bill, saying that they disregarded the will of the vast majority of Americans for fear of retribution from the National Rifle Association in the next round of elections.
"All in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington," Obama said, adding that he sees this simply as the first round in a long struggle.
The vote was a major setback for Obama's proposed gun control legislation, as this bill was likely the best chance of getting any measure through Congress.
But it was clear that the fight is far from over.
"Our hearts are broken. Our spirit is not," said Mark Barden, the father of one of the Newtown shooting victims. "We always knew this would be a long road. We don't have the luxury of turning back."
Two of the senators who voted no - Republican Kelly Ayotte and Democrat Heidi Hetikamp - said the background check system needs to be improved, but that the current proposal puts unnecessary burdens on law-abiding owners.
Former Arizona rep Gabrielle Giffords - who was critically injured in a mass shooting two years ago - has become one of the leading advocates of stricter gun control measures.
Along with her husband, former Astronaut Mark Kelly, Giffords released a statement in reaction to the vote.
"We will use every means possible to make sure the constituents of these senators know that their elected representatives ignored them, and put Washington, D.C. special interest politics over the effort to keep their own communities safer from the tragedy of gun violence," their statement said.
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