Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why did the U.S. Senate’s 2013 proposal to expand background checks for gun purchases fail?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Second Amendment The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

The 2013 U.S. Senate proposal to expand background checks for gun purchases failed primarily because it did not reach the required 60-vote filibuster-proof supermajority needed for passage. Although the measure received a simple majority of 54–46, it fell short of the threshold established by the consent of both parties.1

The failure of the legislation was significantly influenced by the active campaigning of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other gun-rights advocates, who lobbied against the proposal. While the vote largely followed party lines, the outcome occurred despite polls indicating that there was widespread public support for universal background checks. Following the failure of this measure and several related amendments, the bill was withdrawn.12