The filibuster was launched by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. Hes from Connecticut, where the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School occurred.
The filibuster was launched by Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. He's from Connecticut, where the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School occurred. CSPAN

Politico:

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) launched a talking filibuster on the Senate floor — which was quickly joined by fellow Democrats — in an effort to pressure Republicans to accept legislation that would deny suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms and require universal background checks.

The Senate is debating a spending bill that Democrats hope to offer gun amendments to, but Murphy said that the Senate should “not proceed with debate on amendments to this bill until we have figured out a way to come together on, at the very least, two simple ideas.”

Watch here as some members of Congress actually try to do something.

UPDATE: Washington State Senator Patty Murray joined the filibuster early on and spoke about the 2014 shootings at Seattle Pacific University and Marysville Pilchuck High School.

Our other Senator, Maria Cantwell, will speak between 6 and 6:30 pm, according to her office.


Here are Murray's filibuster remarks, as provided by her office:

First of all, I want to thank the Senator for bringing attention to this critical issue—and for everything he does to fight for more than just thoughts and prayers—but for action. Few Senators have a better firsthand understanding of this issue. The impact it has on families and communities. And the urgent need to address it.

As we mourn for the victims and families impacted by the horrific violence and act of terror against LGBT and Latino Americans in Orlando this Sunday, we are once again reminded that nowhere is safe from the horrific epidemic of gun violence in our country. Not even our schools—which should be safe havens for our students. I know you know this all too well. And my home state of Washington is no stranger to it either.

In 2014, a man walked into an academic hall at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, shooting three students, and taking the life of a freshman. And later that year, a 15-year old boy shot five other students, killing four, at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville—with his father’s gun. These shootings were absolutely devastating—to parents, siblings, friends, teachers—entire communities in Washington state. And these were just two examples—and just in my home state.

In Newtown—and across the country—there are just too many shootings in schools to name. According to a report from Everytown—from 2013 through 2016 we had 188 shootings at schools across the country. Not all mass murders. Some just a gun going off in the air. Others where students were wounded. Others attempts at self-harm. But all absolutely terrifying in our schools. And it is showing no signs of letting up.

It sickens me that in America today, parents have to wonder if their children will be safe when they go to the movie theater, the mall, or just to school for the day. Every time after there is a new mass shooting, I hear the same questions from my constituents back home in Washington state – what is Congress going to do to stop this?

And it frustrates me that, every time, I come back with the same answer—that we have been blocked from doing anything in response to my constituents, and the people across the country—people who are asking—begging—for us to do something—anything—to stop the scourge of gun violence that has once again been splashed across the front pages of our newspapers and on our TV screens.

Senator Murphy, I know you are talking about a number of issues around gun violence—but my first question is—can you talk a little bit about how this impacts students in particular?

And here's a preview of what Cantwell is going to say, according to her office:

There’s no reason Congress can’t take commonsense action at the national level, like closing the Terrorist Loophole and expanding background checks. In 2014, Washington state acted, and we now have the results from that initiative. Lives were saved because more than 4,000 felons were prevented from illegally buying a firearm in the first year under the new law.