Democrat to bring anti-gun violence pastor to State of the Union

Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) will bring a pastor who has worked to combat gun violence to President Trump’s first State of the Union on Tuesday. 

Jeffery Hawkins, from Flint, Mich., has hosted events for families who have lost loved ones to gun violence. He and his wife work with the community to combat related issues.

{mosads}”Violence has a terrible impact on youth in the community. We must do more to prevent senseless gun deaths in communities like Flint,” Hawkins said, according to Michigan news outlet MLive.

“I am honored to attend the State of the Union address with Congressman Kildee, and my family appreciates his work in Congress to prevent gun violence and provide more opportunity for young people in our community,” he said. 

Kildee was part of a bipartisan push to regulate bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to fire at a faster rate, following the mass shooting at a concert last year in Las Vegas where more than 50 people died.

Trump has taken conflicting stances on guns and indicated he will look more closely at federal gun laws in the future.

The Michigan congressman is not the only lawmaker to bring a guest related to a controversial political statement. 

A series of Democratic lawmakers have said they will bring guests affected by the ongoing immigration debate. 

Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) announced he would bring a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to the address.