Senate rejects gun-control measures despite massacre

Lawmakers fail to compromise on one of the most sensitive hot-button issues

The Republican-controlled US Senate rejected four competing gun control measures Monday just days after the Orlando club massacre, highlighting the partisan feuding over an issue set to resonate during a heated presidential election year.

With a month to go before Republicans and Democrats formally nominate their White House hopefuls, lawmakers failed to compromise on one of the most sensitive hot-button issues in the United States.

Even as they sought to appear keen to take action following the deadliest mass shooting in US history that left 49 dead a week ago, Republicans and Democrats voted down four amendments - two from each party - that would have limited some gun purchases, including those by suspected terrorists.

The two Democratic texts sought to bar those on FBI watchlists or no-fly lists from buying firearms, and to strengthen criminal and mental health background checks for those seeking to purchase firearms at gun shows and on the internet.

Republicans are opposed to those measures - in general, they oppose any effort to limit gun rights, saying they are protected by the US Constitution's Second Amendment.

They proposed a 72-hour waiting period for those on FBI watchlists seeking to buy weapons, so that the government has time to seek a court order to block the sale if need be.

The second Republican proposal aimed to improve the background check system. Democrats rejected both GOP measures.

Such efforts often struggle to pass the Senate, where 60 of 100 votes are needed for legislation to advance.

The Senate voted on similar measures in the wake of the December 2012 Connecticut school massacre and the San Bernardino attacks last year, but to no avail.

"Every single senator wants to deny terrorists access to guns they use to harm innocent civilians, but there's a right way and a wrong way," said Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas.

There are 46 senators who are Democrats or generally vote with Democrats, and 54 Republicans.

Slim chance

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has spoken out at length about the need to curb gun violence in the week since the Orlando tragedy, but she had a shorter message on Monday.

"Enough," she said in a one-word statement, followed by the names and ages of the 49 Orlando victims.

Democrats know they have only a slim chance of succeeding with gun reform ahead of the November elections. Their goal for now is to push the debate on guns - and turn it into a true campaign issue.

"Ultimately, the only way that you win this issue is by building a political infrastructure around the country that rivals that of the gun lobby," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on Sunday.

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump made waves last week when he suggested he would meet with the National Rifle Association - which has endorsed him - to push a ban on weapons sales to those on watchlists.

On Sunday, Trump said the NRA was seeking to defend "the best interests of our country," adding: "They want to make the right decision."

Gun manufacturer asks judge to dismiss Sandy Hook lawsuit

A gun manufacturer should be held accountable for selling the public semiautomatic rifles that were designed as military killing machines, a lawyer for families of some victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre told a judge on Monday.

The argument came during a court hearing on Remington Arms' request to dismiss a lawsuit by relatives of nine children and adults killed at the Newtown school on Dec 14, 2012, and a teacher who survived the shooting. A total of 20 first-graders and six adults were fatally shot with a Bushmaster rifle made by Remington.

Judge Barbara Bellis, who rebuffed a similar request by Remington and other defendants in April, did not rule on Monday.