National issues focus of 'Community Conversation'

Federal cuts, protecting the steel industry and immigration were key topics at a Community Conversation hosted by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-1st.

Mrvan began the conversation, held at City Hall in Michigan City on May 29, by saying he voted against President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Some of what the bill included, he said, were cuts to SNAP of about $330 billion and to Medicaid and Medicare of about $880 billion, among others.

However, he said it has yet to be signed into law as it recently passed the House and is being reviewed by the Senate. He said he will monitor its progress in the Capitol in the meantime and will do everything he can to stop it.

“Not only are you cutting vulnerable people from access to healthcare and access to food, but that’s not enough,” Mrvan said.

“It’s not enough that they cut $1.7 trillion and they’re using that for tax cuts, they have to add to the deficit. This bill adds $5 trillion to the deficit, simply put, it passes the debt down to our children’s children,” he added.

When asked about his plans to reduce debt, Mrvan said it was to not pass the “Big, Beautiful Bill” and to add economic development to the country. He also said if cuts were made, then revenue must be raised, therefore the top performers in the 1 percent and major corporations with record profits “need to be looked at.”

Northwest Indiana is the top steel manufacturing region in the country, he said. As a member of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies sub-committee and the co-chair of the Steel Caucus, Mrvan said he was working to protect the steel manufacturing industry from being undermined by countries such as China.

One move he advocated for were tariffs designated under Sec. 232, stating the steel industry must be protected as national security issue since steel builds boats, tanks and planes for the military.

“I want to make sure that continued to be funding and that we have the enforcement, or the people to enforce our policies to be able to protect our steel industry,” he said.

Mrvan also discussed his efforts to keep the President accountable, saying he signed onto bi-partisan legislatures and letters telling the President he is beyond his power’s scope.

“The Constitution means something,” Mrvan said.

“I swore an oath that I’m going to continue to fight everywhere I can to articulate it, to use legislative authority, to use the leverage of my office, to use the courts, to make sure that we understand that there are three bodies of government – the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. And they are equal branches of government. We will do that with every ounce of power we have,” he added.

He also said a humane process regarding immigration was needed. Last year, a bipartisan Senate bill addressing resources and technology for border patrol and port security was authored.

The bill also asked for more judges to be appointed for due process to be provided.

“The strong, secure, humane, is the guiding post of my belief when it comes to immigration. And we must, as the Senate and the House, pass a piece of legislation that addresses this for long term,” he said.