Getty Images U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a New Hampshire Republican.
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WASHINGTON—The Senate rejected a bipartisan proposal to expand background checks Wednesday, defeating the most ambitious component of Democrats' effort to tighten gun laws four months after the mass shootings in Newtown, Conn.
With Vice President Joe Biden presiding and the galleries packed with spectators, the Senate failed to reach the 60 votes needed to pass the agreement from Sens. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) to broaden background checks to all gun sales online and at gun shows.
Timeline: Gun Control in the U.S.
Since the American Revolution, when colonists went to war against Great Britain, the right to bear arms has been central to—and controversial in—American culture.
Currently, only federally licensed dealers are required to conduct checks, which aim to screen for people with criminal and mental-health histories that make them ineligible to buy guns.
Fifty-four lawmakers voted for the bill, including four Republicans: Mr. Toomey and Sens. Mark Kirk of Illinois, Susan Collins of Maine and John McCain of Arizona. Five Democrats opposed the measure: Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Mark Begich of Alaska. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) voted "no," so that he has the option of bringing the bill up for another vote in the future. The overall vote was 54 in favor, 46 against.
The Senate was scheduled to vote on eight other amendments designed to reduce gun violence Wednesday. The blitz of votes will include more ambitious bills to ban certain semiautomatic rifles known as "assault weapons" and to limit the size of high-capacity ammunition magazines, both of which are expected to fail.
Both Democrats and Republicans took to the Senate floor earlier Wednesday to urge lawmakers to expand background checks, a step broadly supported by the public.
Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) said he had "long believed it is perfectly reasonable to use available tools to conduct limited background checks" and praised Messrs. Manchin and Toomey for working across-the-aisle to reach a hard-fought agreement. "Sooner or later, the country will take up this issue," he said.
Some Republicans argued the amendment would have infringed upon the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners and would do little to rein in criminals.
"Expanded background checks would not have prevented Newtown," said Sen. Charles Grassley (R., Iowa.).
Mr. Manchin, who has an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association, worked for months to find a Republican partner on the bill, which also included measures that also would have made it easier for some people to buy and transport firearms. The NRA opposed the amendment and warned lawmakers it would include their votes in its influential ratings, while two smaller gun-rights groups endorsed the measure.
Write to Kristina Peterson at kristina.peterson@dowjones.com
