Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy ended his gun-control filibuster at 2:11 a.m. Thursday morning, 14 hours and 50 minutes after it began, and says Democrats have received promises that the Senate will hold votes on universal-background-check and terror-watch-list legislation:
Though senators had yet to formally strike a deal, the Senate was likely to vote on two Democratic-backed gun measures: a proposal from Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) meant to bar those on federal terror watch lists from obtaining firearms, and a plan from Murphy and Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) mandating background checks for sales at gun shows and over the internet. Republicans are expected to put forward two of their own proposals for votes.
Thirty-eight other Senate Democrats, plus Maine independent Angus King and Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey, participated in the filibuster.
Murphy closed his speech by talking about 6-year-old Sandy Hook victim Dylan Hockley and the teacher’s aide, Anne Marie Murphy, who died trying to protect him. “This has been a day of questions,” Murphy said. “And so I ask you all this question: If Anne Marie Murphy could do that, then ask yourself what can you do to make sure that Orlando, or Sandy Hook, never, ever happens again? With deep gratitude to all of those who have endured this very, very late night, I yield the floor.”
