A Time For Action

Meet the 45 Senators Who Blocked Background Checks
—By Dana Liebelson Wed Apr. 17, 2013 5:25 PM PDT

President Obama said that “there was no coherent argument for why we wouldn’t do this. It came down to politics.”

An amendment proposed by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) to require background checks for commercial gun sales (but not for sales between “friends and neighbors”) was shot down Wednesday afternoon in a 54-46 vote, failing to capture the 60 votes it needed to advance. The bill would have been a modest victory for gun control advocates, while ceding numerous concessions to the gun lobby (the NRA initially called it a “positive development.”) Nevertheless, only four Republicans voted for the proposal, with 41 voting against it. Five Democrats rejected the proposal as well (Reid was a special case; see below). Standing with families of Sandy Hook victims, President Obama said that “there was no coherent argument for why we wouldn’t do this. It came down to politics.”

More MoJo coverage of the Senate’s failed background check bill.

Here’s Why the NRA Won and Gabby Giffords and Mike Bloomberg Lost
“Shame On You!”: Senate Rejects Gun Background Check Compromise
Why Did These 4 Democrats Vote No on Gun Background Checks?
Have You Seen Mitch McConnell’s Facebook Page?
10 Reasons the Background Check Bill Means Victory for the NRA
Map: Most Americans Support Background Checks for All Gun Buyers

Also read our special report on gun laws and the rise of mass shootings.

Here’s a list so you can see how your Senator voted:

Republicans Who Voted for the Proposal
◾Susan Collins (R-ME)
◾Mark Kirk (R-IL)
◾John McCain (R-AZ)
◾Pat Toomey (R-PA)

Democrats Who Voted Against the Proposal
◾Max Baucus (D-MT)
◾Mark Begich (D-AK)
◾Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
◾Mark Pryor (D-AR)
◾Harry Reid (D-NV) (Voted “no” as a procedural move to preserve option to reintroduce the bill.)

republicans Who Voted Against the Proposal
◾Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
◾Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
◾John Barrasso (R-WY)
◾Roy Blunt (R-MO)
◾John Boozman (R-AR)
◾Richard Burr (R-NC)
◾Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
◾Dan Coats (R-IN)
◾Tom Coburn (R-OK)
◾Thad Cochran (R-MS)
◾Bob Corker (R-TN)
◾John Cornyn (R-TX)
◾Mike Crapo (R-ID)
◾Ted Cruz (R-TX)
◾Michael Enzi (R-WY)
◾Deb Fischer (R-NE)
◾Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
◾Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
◾Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
◾Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
◾Dean Heller (R-NV)
◾John Hoeven (R-ND)
◾Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
◾Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
◾Mike Johanns (R-NE)
◾Ron Johnson (R-WI)
◾Mike Lee (R-UT)
◾Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
◾Jerry Moran (R-KS)
◾Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
◾Rand Paul (R-KY)
◾Rob Portman (R-OH)
◾James Risch (R-ID)
◾Pat Roberts (R-KS)
◾Marco Rubio (R-FL)
◾Timothy Scott (R-SC)
◾Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
◾Richard Shelby (R-AL)
◾John Thune (R-SD)
◾David Vitter (R-LA)
◾Roger Wicker (R-MS)

democrats Who Voted for the Proposal
◾Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
◾Michael Bennet (D-CO)
◾Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
◾Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
◾Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
◾Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
◾Ben Cardin (D-MD)
◾Thomas Carper (D-DE)
◾Bob Casey (D-PA)
◾Christopher Coons (D-DE)
◾William “Mo” Cowan (D-MA)
◾Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
◾Richard Durbin (D-IL)
◾Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
◾Al Franken (D-MN)
◾Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
◾Kay Hagan (D-NC)
◾Tom Harkin (D-IA)
◾Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
◾Mazie Hirono (D-HI)
◾Tim Johnson (D-SD)
◾Timothy Kaine (D-VA)
◾Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
◾Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
◾Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
◾Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
◾Carl Levin (D-MI)
◾Joe Manchin (D-WV)
◾Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
◾Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
◾Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
◾Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
◾Christopher Murphy (D-CT)
◾Patty Murray (D-WA)
◾Bill Nelson (D-FL)
◾John Reed (D-RI)
◾Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
◾Brian Schatz (D-HI)
◾Charles Schumer (D-NY)
◾Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
◾Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
◾Jon Tester (D-MT)
◾Mark Udall (D-CO)
◾Tom Udall (D-NM)
◾Mark Warner (D-VA)
◾Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
◾Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
◾Ron Wyden (D-OR)

independents
◾Angus King (I-ME): Yea
◾Bernie Sanders (I-VT): Yea

Front page image: Jay Mallin/ZUMA Press
Dana Liebelson
Reporter
Dana Liebelson is a reporter in Mother Jones’ Washington bureau. Her work has also appeared in The Week, TIME’s Battleland, Truthout, OtherWords and Yahoo! News. RSS | Twitter

EDITORS NOTE:

The article above by written by Denna Liebelson appeared in Mother Jones.

I strongly suggest that every one check where their Senator’s name is and ask you to please call, write or email then to tell them thank you for voting yes or shame on you for voting no and explain why you think they shooed not have voted the way they did.

I believe that the no votes were primarily bough  directly by the NRA, either in the form of promised campaign backing or threats against withholding support.

I strongly support the idea that it is time for us the American people to start taking back control of our government. For way to long groups, backed by and financed by, outside interest such as the Koch brothers, American Legislative Exchange Committee (ALEC), Americans for Prosperity, and high-priced Washington Lobbyist, to name just a few, have been calling the shots behind the scene.  It is time that We The People let our voices be heard loud and clear. It’s time to remind our elected officials who voted them into office and who at the next election can vote them out of office.

As ex Congress Women Gabby Gifford, a victim herself of gun violence  said “If our Senators refuse to act to prevent gun violence I think that it is time to get new Senators” If everyone reading this post takes just a few minuets to call, write or email their Senator to express there view on enhanced background checks for parching guns and encouraged at least one more person to do the same I think that we might start to see a change. as always please let me know your Senators reply. Thanks.