Despite being a top priority, a dispute among Republicans ultimately derailed the attempt to void any federal law that “infringed on people's right to keep and bear arms.”

Several potential Republican presidential candidates courted gun-rights supporters at the National Rifle Association's annual convention, talking up their pro-gun credentials.

The nation's largest gun-rights group wants Congress to require that concealed weapons permits issued in one state be recognized everywhere, even when the local requirements differ.

Republicans have been divided on how to punish potential violators of the legislation dubbed the “Second Amendment Preservation Act.”