Mazie Hirono was among 11 Democrats who voted in the U.S. Senate today against a bill to “protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting.”
“The Senate failed in a 41-56 vote to end debate on the measure, which would make it easier to hunt and fish on federal lands,” according to The Hill. “Sixty votes were needed to end debate.”
Democrats wanted measures that would “tighten gun control,” while GOP senators offered pro-gun amendments.
Hirono also voted against the bill Monday in an 82-12 vote procedural motion.
Sen. Mazie Hirono during her speech at the Democratic Party of Hawaii state convention, May 24, 2014.
PF Bentley/Civil Beat
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) also voted against Monday’s cloture on the motion to proceed because, according to The Hill, he didn’t think the Senate should be considering a gun bill that “doesn’t include reforms such as background checks on all gun sales.”
“I cannot vote for a measure that makes owning, possessing or using guns more readily or easily usable when we have failed to act and we have failed to act on commonsense, sensible measures that would stop gun violence,” Blumenthal said ahead of Monday’s vote. “First things first, let’s reduce gun violence.”
Like Hirono, Blumenthal also voted against the hunting and fishing legislation Thursday.
Hawaii’s other U.S. senator, Brian Schatz, is in Hawaii this week and so did not vote on the sportsmen’s bill.
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About the Author
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Chad Blair is the politics editor for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on X at @chadblairCB.