The U.S. Senate voted down a bipartisan plan to expand background checks on firearm purchases from gun shows and Internet sales Wednesday, a failure the president said came as a result of the gun lobby willfully lying about the bill.

President Barack Obama said in a statement he was disappointed senators failed to pass the bill in response to recent fatal shootings.

“They blocked common-sense gun reforms even while these families looked on from the Senate gallery,” Obama said. “So all in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington.”

Despite the rejection of the proposal authored by Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., the public supports expanded background checks, according to recent polls. In a CNN survey released last week, 86 percent of Americans said they support increased background checks. 

That number is even higher in Wisconsin, according to Anti-Violence Effort Executive Director Jeri Bonavia. She said she thinks citizens will take action to make the nation safer, all politics aside. 

“I don’t think people are going to walk away from the issue of gun control,” Bonavia said. “I think there’s momentum now for change and I believe that Americans will stand up to their representatives to do what 92 percent of citizens support and not allow politicians to put the public in danger in exchange for political gain.”

Barry Burden, a University of Wisconsin political science professor, said gun control reform is an interesting issue because the public supports increased background checks so strongly. He added he thinks Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., will have difficulty explaining his vote against the gun control legislation when his constituents support the measure.

Jeff Nass, president of Wisconsin Firearm Owners, Ranges, Clubs and Educators Inc., a National Rifle Association chartered association, said senators made the right decision. He said lawmakers rejected the bill based on facts, rather than emotions.

“There has been a shameful response from the gun-control crowd recently, using tragic events that we all feel for to try and push their agenda forward,” Nass said. 

Nass added the Manchin-Toomey proposition would have simply taken guns away from law-abiding citizens.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has also expressed her support of extended background checks. Baldwin said in a statement broad support exists for the measure.

“Giving law enforcement additional tools to crack down on both gun traffickers and the straw purchasers who help get guns into the hands of criminals,” Baldwin said.

In the wake of Wednesday’s decision, disagreement remains on whether policy change still needs to happen on the state or national level. 

Bonavia said she thinks due to frustration about the failed federal legislation from supporters of the gun control movement in Wisconsin, now is the time to act at the state level.

“Due to the recent tragedies involving guns and shootings, people have become infuriated at the lackadaisical approach that our government is taking towards gun control,” she said. “The failure of this proposal to pass at the national level will mean that we are going to need to take things into our own hands as Wisconsinites and pass legislation that will expand background checks on the state level.”

However, Burden said he does not see more gun legislation of any kind happening at the state level in Wisconsin. He said he thinks the state Legislature is finished with bills dealing with guns, as it passed a concealed carry law last session as a GOP solution to the gun-violence issue.

Johnson said in an email to The Badger Herald he opposed the Manchin-Toomey proposal because while it was “well-intentioned,” it was also “fatally flawed.” 

Johnson said he plans to introduce a new proposition that could satisfy both gun rights and gun control advocates.

“As the Senate debates gun crimes, I am proud to cosponsor an amendment which has bipartisan support,” Johnson said.

He said the bill would restrict attempts by felons to illegally procure guns, increase gun trafficking punishments, force the Department of Justice to explain its “failure” to prosecute gun cases and improve the existing background check system.