The U.S. senate is set to hold an important vote on gun contols on Thursday.

But the vote's not about passing a bill...it's simply to decide whether it should even be allowed to the Senate floor for debate.

President Barack Obama has been campaigning to reduce gun violence since 20 children and six adults were killed in a massacre at a school in Connecticut in December.

But gun control is an emotionally charged issue, and 13 Republican senators say they'll use a stalling tactic known as a fillibuster to block attempts to bring the bill up for debate.

It's unclear if the majority democrats will even get the 60 votes needed.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SAYING:

"But it appears that not only are some of the senators not willing to stand and be counted, they are prepared to stop anybody from being able to be counted. I mean it's almost mind boggling. I served in the Senate for 36 years and you got 13 senators including the minority