WASHINGTON — Led by the senators who represent Newtown, Connecticut — where a gunman fatally shot 26 people, including 20 children, in 2012 — Democrats took control of the Senate floor Wednesday and vowed to keep talking until lawmakers start doing something about gun violence.

Their efforts lasted for nearly 15 hours, but were ultimately successful.

“Newtown is still putting itself back together, probably will be for a long time,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who launched the filibuster-style takeover, declaring it was time for the Senate to do something about gun violence beyond the usual ineffective debates.

He said lawmakers could not go about business as usual after a mass killing at a gay club in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday claimed 49 victims.

“This is a different moment today than it was at the end of last week,” Murphy said. “There is a newfound imperative for this body to find a way to come together and take action, to try to do our part to stem this epidemic of gun violence and in particular this epidemic of mass shootings.”

There is a fundamental disconnect with the American people when these

tragedies continue to occur and we just move forward with business as usual,” Murphy continued. “So I’m going to remain on this floor until we get some signal, some sign that we can come together on these two measures, that we can get a path forward on addressing this epidemic in a meaningful bipartisan way.”

Murphy interrupted consideration of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Act. Among other things, it funds the Justice Department, and Democrats had already planned to try to add amendments related to gun violence to it. The first was expected to be a measure that would bar people who are on the terrorism watchlist from buying guns.

Murphy also wants to force a vote on the so-called gun-show loophole, which can allow criminals to buy guns from unlicensed dealers without a background check.

Republicans took a dim view of Murphy’s step, pointing out that he and other Democrats had already voted to start working on the CJS bill. And mounting a talking blockade merely delays the votes.

“The only thing he’s blocking is any effort to vote on the amendments he says he wants. He did, after all, just agree to proceed to the bill,” said Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Still, Democrats have failed at recent attempts to change gun laws, and they hope they can force an agreement that allows a dozen or so Republicans to break with the positions of the National Rifle Association.

“Sen. Murphy and Senate Democrats are holding the floor because they will not accept inaction or half measures in the face of continued slaughter,” said Chris Harris, a Murphy spokesman. “Congress cannot sit on the sidelines while killers freely buy weapons to brutally murder the people Congress is supposed to be protecting.”

“Until private sales at gun shows and over the internet also require stringent background checks and unless suspected terrorists on the no fly list are prohibited from legally purchasing guns, our lax gun laws will continue to allow terrorists and criminals to amass a weapons stockpile,” Harris added. “Sen. Murphy will remain on the floor demanding the Senate adopt these measures.”

Some Republicans came to the Senate floor expressing at least some interest in the amendments Murphy wants, but also to raise concerns about potential civil liberties issues with the watchlist bill.

Watchlist critics on both sides of the aisle take issue with the fact that they often include innocent Americans and that it is extremely difficult for those Americans to clear their names. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) asked Murphy to clarify exactly what list would be applied to gun buyers. Murphy said it would be a consolidated list that draws on several sources, including the no-fly list.

Murphy acknowledged the concerns about people’s right to due process, and argued that Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s bill to close that terrorist loophole would have an explicit appeals process to get off the list.

Republicans have offered their own measure, backed by Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), that would bar people on watchlists from buying guns for 72 hours. During this time, a judge would have to find probable cause that the person belonged on the list.

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) followed Sasse and suggested that Feinstein’s bill would not adequately protect rights. He also said Cornyn’s measure does too much to tie the hands of the attorney general and would prevent her office from doing the job effectively.

“There’s an obvious opportunity here, guys, to work together and find the solution,” said Toomey, who in the past has backed enhanced background checks. “I’ve been speaking with some of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and I think there’s an interest in doing this.”

Toomey and Cornyn both told reporters later in the day that they were talking with Feinstein, although neither suggested a deal was imminent.

“We all agree that known or suspected terrorists should not be able to get firearms but since we’re talking about a constitutional right there ought to be some requirement,” Cornyn said, referring to his demands for greater due process in the system.

The Democrats’ talk marathon began around 11:20 a.m., but it wasn’t until 1:40 a.m. on Thursday, that Murphy was able to announce that it had resulted in the promise of change.

“We’ve gotten to a place where we’re going to get votes on these important amendments,” he said.

Murphy ended the filibuster by telling the story of Dylan Hockley, a 6-year-old boy who was slain in the Newtown massacre, and the teacher who tried to shield him from a lone gunman’s bullets. After he finished the sad tale, Murphy yielded the floor.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the president supports Murphy’s filibuster.

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“Obviously we’re supportive of any effort to try to get Congress to act on commonsense gun safety legislation,” Earnest said in his daily briefing. “You wouldn’t think it would be so hard. … It’s unfortunate that Republicans aren’t wiling to use that common sense, even when it comes to something that our Secretary of Homeland Security has described as a legitimate homeland security issue.”

Laura Barron-Lopez and Jennifer Bendery contributed reporting.

This post has been updated to note that Toomey and Cornyn said later Wednesday that they have been talking with Feinstein.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the mass shooting in Newtown as the second most deadly in U.S. history.

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