Barack Obama denounces US Senate failure to act on gun measures

President Barack Obama has denounced the Senate's failure to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida.

Obama on Twitter said that the Senate failed the American people and that gun violence requires more than a moment of silence.

Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people.

— President Obama (@POTUS) June 21, 2016

The White House has said previously that tweets from his account are from Obama himself. White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the vote is a "a shameful display of cowardice". He told CNN on Tuesday that the Republican-led chamber's blocking of four gun control proposals on Tuesday does nothing to keep extremists from acquiring guns.

Earnest said lawmakers lament gun violence but "don't do anything about it." He said that while no bill can prevent all gun violence, "why wouldn't we do more?"