Vice President Joe Biden has appealed to leaders across the faith community to keep pressure on lawmakers to support background checks for those ordering guns in the United States. 

The Irish American Democrat spoke to religious leaders during a two-hour meeting at the White House on Monday. He urged them to continue the fight for gun control, despite the fact that Congress’s attention is being turned towards the immigration reform issue.

Speaking to about 20 faith leaders he asked that they not be discouraged by the recent failure of gun law reform. He assured them that the White House has not given up, CNN reported.

Pastor Michael McBride of the PICO National Network told CNN, “Even though he suffered a defeat, he didn't sound defeated.

"And we need that kind of hope from the bully pulpit of the White House."

During last month’s Senate vote on a change to gun law, religious organizations, across denominations, had put pressure on members of Congress. Biden acknowledged how effective this was and asked those at the meeting to continue their fight.

Biden also acknowledged that there would be no move on gun control in the United States until the Government has taken action on immigration reform this summer.

Sister Marjorie Clark, a lobbyist for Network, the Catholic social justice organization, told Politico, “He doesn’t think it will come back before they’ve made some pretty good steps on immigration.”

“He said, ‘I don’t think it will happen before immigration but it will come back.’”