US Senate fails to move new gun control restrictions

Just one week after the mass shooting in Orlando club considered as the deadliest in the nation's history, the United States Senate failed to advance new restrictions aimed at curtailing gun violence in the country.

Though the Democrats and Republicans had put forth competing amendments strengthen background checks and prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms, all the four bills fell short of 60 votes needed to clear it.

The act was a near replica of a vote held in December after a pair of shooters killed 14 people and injured 22 in San Bernardino, California.

The series of voting on Monday, came after the June 12 terrorist attack at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Florida, which killed 49 people and injured 53 others present in the club.

The Republican proposal to pour more resources into prosecuting violations of the current background checks system, fell short by a vote of 53-47, reports the Guardian.

Their another amendment, which would have enabled the justice department to delay an individual on the FBI terror watch list from completing a gun purchase for a period of 72 hours, also fell short of 53-47.

While the Democratic proposal, which aimed for background checks for all gun sales except for gifts and loans between immediate family members, failed by a vote of 44-56.

Another proposal by Democrats that would have barred the sale of firearms to all individuals on the terror watch list failed to advance in a 47-53 vote.

While the voting occurred in the senate chamber, family members of gun violence victims looked on from the gallery, some reportedly weeping as it became clear none of the proposed bills would pass muster.