Mrvan calls federal spending plan a 'tragedy for Northwest Indiana'

More than $11 million in federal funds designated for specific economic development projects and law enforcement agencies in Northwest Indiana were omitted from the spending legislation endorsed Tuesday by the Republican-controlled U.S. House.

The House's continuing resolution aims to avert a federal government shutdown Friday by basically maintaining federal spending through the Sept. 30 end of the budget year at levels approved last year by Democratic former President Joe Biden.

However, House GOP leaders stripped from the measure all Community Project Funding requests, more commonly known as earmarks, and unless they're put back by the Republican-controlled Senate — a very unlikely outcome — the requests made by lawmakers from across the country, including Northwest Indiana U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, will go unfulfilled.

Mrvan said on the House floor that outcome would be "a legislative tragedy for Northwest Indiana," and especially for the Region communities counting on the federal funds.

"It is shameful that we have misled our local law enforcement agencies, local units of government and veterans and seniors," Mrvan said. "The House majority has made Northwest Indiana less safe and jeopardizes our potential for economic growth and the ability to create more work and wealth."

Mrvan's $11 million in requests already was less than the $45 million in federal funds he secured for Northwest Indiana in 2022, the $20.5 million Mrvan obtained for Lake, Porter and northwest LaPorte counties in 2023 and the $16 million he brought home in 2024, records show.

That's due in part to Republicans taking control of the House after the 2022 elections and subsequently choosing to allocate a majority of community projects funding to GOP representatives, including many who previously condemned spending earmarks.

Though eliminating the requests altogether is just fine with U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym, R-Granger, whose House district includes rural areas of LaPorte County, since it helped avert a government shutdown, reduced federal spending by $7 billion and enables Congress to craft 2026 appropriations aligned with the policies of Republican President Donald Trump.

"This bill provides Republicans the necessary time to advance the America First agenda, fulfilling the mandate given by the American people," Yakym said.

Here's the list of projects for which Mrvan requested federal funding that likely will not get any this year. Some of the projects may still go forward using other federal, state or local resources:

• $2.5 million to support partnerships between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Region communities for addressing critical water, sanitary sewer and storm water infrastructure improvements.
• $1.2 million for Purdue University Northwest to purchase equipment for the Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation and to enhance initiatives supporting cutting-edge technologies for domestic steel and manufacturing industries.
• $1.1 million for Cedar Lake to construct a sanitary sewer interceptor to bolster the health and safety of residents by increasing sanitary flow capacity and improving water quality.
• $1 million for the Crown Point Police Department to enhance operations through the purchase of new radios.
• $850,000 for the Gary/Chicago International Airport to increase cargo capacity by constructing and expanding a heavy cargo logistics apron for multiple users.
• $850,000 for the Gary Redevelopment Commission to demolish the former Ivanhoe Elementary School.
• $670,000 for Schererville Police Department radio replacement.
• $500,000 for Michigan City's Westside Opportunity Hub Project that aims to transform a blighted structure into a community resource hub.
• $488,000 to equip Hobart Police officers and detectives with body worn cameras.
• $400,000 each to the Griffith, LaPorte and Valparaiso police departments for new radios and other technology upgrades.
• $306,000 for the Dyer Police Department to enhance radio communications by eliminating frequency interruptions.
• $250,000 for the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) to design a fully accessible, high-level platform at the new Gary Metro Center Station on the South Shore Line.
• $150,000 for officer body cameras at the East Chicago Police Department.