North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan is the bill's chief Democratic sponsor. Senate supports sportsmen bill

The Senate overwhelmingly advanced a bipartisan hunting and fishing bill on Monday — but not before facing objections from liberals who criticized the chamber for failing to act on gun control measures.

Senators voted 82-12 Monday evening to move forward on the sportsmen’s legislation, which would boost hunters and anglers through an array of provisions such as helping to build shooting ranges and loosening federal regulations on lead fishing tackle and bullets.


The package is a political boon to the host of red-state Democrats up for reelection this year, including the bill’s chief Democratic sponsor, North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan. Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is the bill’s main Republican author.

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But shortly before the procedural vote Monday, two Democratic senators stood up to announce that they could not vote to advance the legislation in light of congressional inaction on gun control.

“I won’t be voting for cloture today because we are long overdue to make a statement in the United States Senate about the tens of thousands of deaths happening due to guns all across the country,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). “Everyone has a role to play in trying to stem this epidemic of violence.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also said he would not support cloture. Both senators represent Connecticut, where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in December 2012.

“I can’t vote for a measure that makes owning or possessing or using guns more readily or easily usable when we have failed to act and we have failed to act on common-sense, sensible measures that will stop gun violence,” Blumenthal said.

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In a brief interview, Blumenthal said he plans to offer gun control amendments to the legislation, including a measure that would ban individuals under a temporary restraining order from buying or owning firearms.

The underlying legislation drew opposition Monday from other liberals in the Senate, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).

Still, Hagan and Murkowski’s legislation has much support on both sides of the aisle. Other 2014 Democrats who are co-sponsoring the legislation include Sens. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mark Begich of Alaska, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Udall of Colorado, Mark Warner of Virginia, John Walsh of Montana and Al Franken of Minnesota.

There could be other obstacles in the way of the sportsmen’s bill. One bill after another in the Senate this year — such as energy-efficiency legislation and a collection of tax extenders — have collapsed before final passage as Democrats and Republicans stayed mired in a dispute over amendments.

The sportsmen’s legislation could face a similar fate.