Hartford, Conn. — Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called on top congressional leaders to pass legislation that would prohibit the sale of firearms and explosives to anyone suspected by the federal government of being a terrorist.

In a letter dated Sunday, the Democrat urged Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader, Senate Majority Leader and Senate Minority Leader to immediately consider the bill.

Citing statistics from the General Accountability Office, Malloy said people on the terrorism watch list tried to buy guns and explosives 1,228 times between 2004 and 2010. He says they succeeded 1,119 times.

Malloy says closing what he called a "loophole" in federal law is "common sense."

Malloy criticized elected officials of instead "closing our borders to those suffering," a reference to Syrian refugees.

Connecticut's Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal are co-sponsors of the proposed federal legislation. On Monday, they and 22 other senators called on President Barack Obama to use his executive authority to reduce gun violence. Specifically, the group wants Obama to stop individuals without a federal license from being allowed to conduct high volumes of gun sales at gun shows, over the Internet and elsewhere without undergoing background checks.