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The $1.2 trillion federal spending package signed into law Tuesday by Republican President Donald Trump includes money designated by U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, for community and economic development projects in Gary and Michigan City.

The Northwest Indiana congressman successfully earmarked nearly $2.6 million in Community Project Funding requests in the federal transportation and urban development spending plan — on top of the $4.5 million Mrvan secured for Region police technology improvements in January.

To mark the beginning of Black History Month and its 2026 theme, "A Century of Black History Commemorations," U.S. Representative Frank J. Mrvan (D-IN) took to the House floor to honor a local legend: 104-year-old Northwest Indiana resident and three-war veteran, Retired Army Sergeant 1st Class Oscar Primm Jr.

In a statement released today, Mrvan highlighted Primm’s extraordinary life as a personification of the century of progress and patriotism celebrated this month.

A video of his remarks on the House floor is available here.

Energy costs, tariffs and other financial issues are putting the squeeze on farmers, U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan was told Wednesday.

Mrvan, D-Highland, convened his newly created Agriculture Advisory Council in Crown Point to get input from experts in their fields.

“I wanted to have real-life conversations on the fed government and how it’s impacting farming and the ability to produce,” Mrvan said.

President Donald Trump’s tariffs on China caused China to buy soybeans elsewhere, a major blow to U.S. farmers.

Indiana farmers have been heavily impacted by rising costs, trade disputes and the Trump administration's tariffs.

On Wednesday, they explained their concerns to Rep. Frank Mrvan, seeking help in thinking about policies that could make a difference.

In Crown Point, Mrvan hosted the first meeting of the Agriculture Advisory Council for his district, which spans the northwestern corner of Indiana. The council brings together a variety of farmers, producing foodstuffs from corn to pork to vegetables.

Mayor Eddie Melton issued a strong endorsement of U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan’s legislative efforts on Tuesday,  January 27, crediting the congressman with securing nearly $2 million in critical federal investments for the City of Gary in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached an agreement with BP and the Atlantic Richfield Company to clean up two sections of the heavily contaminated Grand Calumet River in East Chicago.

The EPA, BP, Atlantic Richfield and the East Chicago Waterway Management District will work on a $200 million project to remove more than 24,000 cubic yards of sediment from the bottom of the river, which runs through the heavy industry in East Chicago's Indiana Harbor neighborhood.

Abandoned school buildings have been among the biggest thorns in Gary’s side, standing as hulking reminders of decline.

While some buildings have been torn down, the scale of the problem has continued to grow faster than funding to address it.