Dems take over floor to protest Senate inaction on gun control

The Hill reports:

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and other Democrats have taken over the Senate floor to call for tougher gun control laws, and specifically action on keeping people on terrorism watch lists from buying guns.

“I'm prepared to stand on this floor and talk about the need for this body to come together on keeping terrorists away from getting guns ... for, frankly, as long as I can, because I know that we can come together on this issue,” Murphy said in beginning the talking filibuster.

Murphy began speaking at about 11:20, and the filibuster was continuing just before 2 p.m.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ben Cardin and Ed Markey (Mass.) had joined Murphy in speaking.

The Senate is currently considering the Commerce, Justice and Science spending bill. Though no votes are currently scheduled, the senators are blocking other senators from making any amendments to the bill “pending”—the first step to getting a vote.

The gun banners unite on the Senate floor.