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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Reaction to the school shooting in Texas came swiftly with Democrats calling for action.

Democrats, including the president, are pleading for regulations that could help stem gun violence in the U.S., but already it seems there’s little appetite among Republicans to pass any gun control measures.

The massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas is the deadliest school shooting since Sandy Hook. Now, President Biden is calling on Congress to do more than express thoughts and prayers.

“When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?” President Biden said during Tuesday’s press conference.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy made an impassioned plea for Republican senators to support gun control measures he says are common sense.

“Why do you go through all the hassle of getting this job, of putting yourself in a position of authority if your answer is that as the slaughter increases as our kids run for their lives – we do nothing?” Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said.

It also appears all eyes turned to Republican senators after the shooting.

Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr used his press conference to implore Republican senators to support measures like universal background checks.

“When are we going to do something?” Kerr said. “Are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of children, and our elderly and our church goers? Because that’s what it looks like.”

Meanwhile, Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe wasn’t alone in dismissing the idea of gun control measures. Texas Senator Ted Cruz said in an interview that such restrictions don’t work and he pushed for more armed law enforcement at schools instead.

“Every time there’s anything that comes up they want to blame guns,” Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) said.

Indiana Senator Mike Braun said he’s open to finding common ground including solutions not related to gun control.

“When any shooting we have like this, there’s generally a mental illness factor to it,” Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) said.

For years, Democrats have pushed for measures like universal background checks and renewing the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, but the measures have been blocked in the narrowly divided Senate.