Gun control advocates are vowing to keep up the fight despite the stinging setback in the Senate Wednesday. A bipartisan compromise to expand background checks failed to get the 60 votes needed to move the legislation forward.
But Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign, told Jansing & Co. polls that show roughly 90% of Americans who say they support expanded background checks have reason to be encouraged.
"We can't give up, this is too important," said Gross. "I think its very important that we take great solace and heart and inspiration from how far we've come. The fact that there was a vote at all, the fact that it was even close, the fact that the filibuster didn't happen, the fact that there was a bipartisan agreement--these all happened because the voice of the American public is starting to be heard by Congress."
Gross echoes the sharp criticism President Obama hurled toward the National Rifle Association and senators, calling it a "shameful day" for Washington.
"The will of 90% of the American public, the safety of the American public was undermined by the votes of a few senators who were doing the bidding of the gun lobby," said Gross.
Gross, whose brother Matt was shot and severely wounded at the Empire State Building in 1997, said it's time for voters to step up the pressure on lawmakers.
"We need to make these people feel the pain of losing their jobs, and until they know that that hangs in the balance, we're not going to be able to create change."