Support for stricter gun laws is at its highest level ever, according to a new poll that also finds increased levels of support for expanding background checks and banning people on terrorist watchlists from purchasing guns.

A record majority of American voters, 54 percent, support stricter gun laws in the U.S., according to the Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday. Another 42 percent remain opposed to more restrictions.

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A majority of Americans in households that own at least one gun, 56 percent, oppose stricter laws, and 39 percent support them. Women are more likely than men to want tougher laws, with women favoring them, 63 percent to 33 percent, and men opposing them, 51 percent to 45 percent.

The poll also finds that an overwhelming majority of Americans, 86 percent, say those on the government's terrorist watchlists shouldn't be allowed to purchase guns, and 12 percent are opposed to such a ban.

More than 9 in 10 Americans support requiring background checks on all gun buyers. Six percent oppose such a move.

More than 6 in 10 Americans think that expanding background checks would help reduce gun violence, and 35 percent say it wouldn't help.

Several gun control proposals failed to move in the Senate following the June 12 mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., that left 49 people dead and dozens more injured.

Senate Democrats held the floor on June 15 in a push for new legislation, and House Democrats the next week held a sit-in protesting the lack of gun control action in the GOP-led Congress.

The new survey of 1,610 registered voters was conducted June 21–27 via landlines and cellphones with a margin of error of 2.4 points.