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Congressman Dan Kildee Remembers Michigan Victims Killed in Orlando Shooting

June 15, 2016

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) today spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in remembrance of Tevin Crosby and Christopher "Drew" Leinonen, two Michiganders killed in Sunday's mass shooting in Orlando, Fla. Congressman Kildee's remarks on the House floor can be viewed here.

"My heart aches for Tevin and Drew's families and their loved ones, and all of those that were killed over the weekend. This was an act of terror against the LGBT community," said Congressman Kildee. "As our nation heals from this tragedy, Congress must turn our country's grief into action. There is no place for weapons of war on the streets of America's cities, murdering our children. This Congress has it within its hands to act and this Congress needs to act."

Tevin, a 25-year-old from Saginaw, moved from North Carolina to start his own business, Total Entrepreneurs Concepts. He was on a trip to visit family in North Carolina followed by friends and colleagues in Orlando. Tevin was described as a ‘rising star' according to his colleagues and friends. One employee who worked with Tevin said that he "was always smiling and positive," and that he treated his employees like family.

Drew, 32, who was also killed in Sunday's shooting, was a native of Detroit. Drew's mother, Christine, said that her son established a Gay Straight Alliance at his high school and received a humanitarian award for his effort. Juan Ramon Guerrero, the man whom Drew planned to wed, was also killed in Sunday's attack.

Congressman Kildee has repeatedly called for immediate action by Congress to keep deadly weapons out of the hands of suspected terrorists. On the House floor yesterday, he renewed his call for Speaker Paul Ryan (WI-01) to take up H.R. 1076, the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act of 2015. This bipartisan bill was introduced by Republican Rep. Peter King (NY-02) and would prevent anyone currently on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Terrorist Watch List from legally purchasing a deadly weapon.

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