The Late Show host Stephen Colbert crtiticised the US Senate on Monday after it rejected four bills to impose limits on gun sales.
He devoted a segment to the issue, saying he expected the senate to pass some measures after the Orlando shootings.
He also said the senate ignored the majority of Americans who supported background checks for gun buyers.
“After the attacks in Orlando, Florida, I thought maybe the government might do their job and pass any kind of law, even a fig leaf to justify their existence,” he said.
“I don’t understand you, senators, 92 per cent of Americans want to expand background checks for gun buyers and you just ignore them.
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"Since when does eight per cent of the population get to have total control of an issue?"
He pulled no punches in his call out, describing the senate as slow moving and claiming the National Rifle Association had a "vice-like grip" on the issue.
“You may as well ask the gun lobby to check for a hernia as long as they’ve got your balls in their hands,” he said.
He also attacked the government for being unwilling to restrict people on the terror watch list from accessing semi-automatic weapons.
“You guys think a terrorists watch list is when you put 'Homeland' on your Netflix queue,” Mr Colbert said.
House Democrats are also reacting to the failed gun reforms in the Senate by staging a sit-in until a vote is called.
They hope to cause action on the issue before congress breaks for a week long recess.
Watch the full segment below:
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