Senate Republicans, backed by rural-state Democrats, blocked legislation to tighten restrictions on the sale of firearms. Attempts to ban assault-style rifles and high capacity magazines also faced certain defeat in a series of showdown votes four months after the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn. The background check measure commanded a majority but fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance.

President Obama spoke candidly about his frustration with the defeat of the Manchin-Toomey Amendment. Obama said that the gun lobby and its allies "willfully lied about the bill." Obama was introduced by Mark Barden, the father of Sandy Hook victim Daniel Barden.