How Long Was the Filibuster for Gun Control?

Senator Chris Murphy led one of the longest filibusters in history. (Getty)

Sen Chris Murphy’s historic gun control filibuster has just come to an end, just before 2:30 a.m. Eastern. How long was the Senator’s filibuster and how did it compare to the longest filibusters in history?

Here’s what you need to know.

When Murphy concluded his filibuster, it had lasted 14 hours and 50 minutes, according to WTOC. The filibuster was launched in response to a shooting in Orlando, where a gunman opened fire on the Pulse nightclub and killed 49 people and wounded 53. Democrats demanded action on gun control, but Republicans did not seem ready to yield. That’s when Murphy, Senator from Connecticut, launched a filibuster at 11:21 a.m. on Wednesday.

In a tweet, he told the world:

“I am prepared to stand on the Senate floor and talk about the need to prevent gun violence for as long as I can.”

And stand he did, for nearly 15 hours as other Democrats joined him on the floor.

When the filibuster ended after 14 hours and 50 minutes, it became the ninth-longest Senate filibuster in history. Right behind it was Senator Robert Byrd’s filibuster in 1964 that lasted 14 hours and 13 minutes. Slightly longer was Alfonse D’Amatos’ filibuster, which lasted 15 hour sand 14 minutes.

Read more about the longest filibusters in history here: