Update: Michigan Rep. joins House sit-in demanding gun control
Michigan's Fifth District Representative Dan Kildee joined other House democrats Thursday in a sit-in at Capitol Hill, demanding a vote on gun control legislation.
The legislation would restrict gun sales to individuals on the FBI's Terror Watch List.
“The American people have made it clear that they want Congress to do its job and act to prevent suspected terrorists from getting guns. Congress should not recess until we do our job and act to protect the American people,” Kildee said in a press release.
Kildee graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in Community Development Administration. As representative of Michigan's Fifth U.S. Congressional District, Kildee represents, among other communities, Flint, Saginaw and Bay City.
The bill, titled the "Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act," was introduced by New York republican Peter King. Despite receiving bipartisan support, the bill was not brought up for a vote by House Speaker Paul Ryan. House democrats declared their displeasure, chanting "No bill, no break," and "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired."
Kildee spoke in the House yesterday, voicing his support and demanding Congress not recess without voting on the bill.
"Congress has no greater responsibility than acting to keep the American people safe," he said. "That's why House democrats focused on a strong and smart national security plan have repeatedly made attempts to close a dangerous loophole that allows suspected terrorists to buy deadly weapons, weapons like those that we just saw used in that horrific mass shooting in Orlando."
Michigan's Third District Representative Justin Amash criticized the sit-in on twitter.
"[Democrats] refuse to leave until our Constitution replaces due process with secret lists," he said.
Omar Maleen, the man behind the Orlando shooting, was on the FBI Terrorist Watch List in 2014 while he was under investigation, but was taken off when the FBI dropped its investigation. The list of names on the list are not publicly available, and individuals are not typically informed when their name is added.
Amash introduced a bill last May which would amend the No Fly for Terrorists Act to prevent the Department of Homeland Security from prohibitting U.S. citizens from boarding an airplane or cruise ship based on the list unless they've been convicted of a federal crime involving terrorism.
