Mrvan Testimony Before House Appropriations Committee

Press Release

Today, Congressman Frank J. Mrvan testified before the full House Appropriations Committee during their Member Day hearing.

[T]he text of the full statement as prepared for delivery is below.

I first would like to thank Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger for holding today's Member Day hearing.

I also want to congratulate the full Committee, including the Chair and Ranking Member of each Subcommittee, for soliciting and considering Member requests for Community Project Funding as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 appropriations process.

As you are well aware, our Constitution states clearly "No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law," and I am pleased this Committee has taken steps to reaffirm the Legislative Branch's "power of the purse," as well as given Members the opportunity to direct federal spending to worthy, locally-supported projects.

I also appreciate the stringent transparency measures instituted by the Committee. We must always be reminded of our fiduciary responsibility to hard-working taxpayers. As public servants, we must conduct appropriate oversight and assure the American people that each and every appropriated dollar is fulfilling an essential need and benefiting our communities.

I have the great honor and privilege of representing Indiana's First Congressional District, following in the footsteps of my mentor and friend, Chairman Pete Visclosky. Our district is at the center of vital road, rail, air, and port networks, and home to major manufacturing industries. This infrastructure, coupled with our incredible workforce and adjacency to the great city of Chicago, enables our region to continue to attract new businesses and talent. Northwest Indiana is proud to have the largest concentration of steel production and the largest inland oil refinery in our country. These industries foster economic activity and provide good-paying union jobs to thousands of workers in my district.

One particular request I would like to draw your attention to is the value of the International Trade Commission (ITC). As I mentioned earlier, my district leads the nation in steel production. In order to prevent bad actors from exporting their unemployment to our nation and my district in particular, we must ensure that the ITC has sufficient funding to uphold our trade laws.

As you know, the ITC is required by U.S. law to release its budget justification independently from the Office of Management and Budget. I recently had the opportunity to meet with Chair Kearns and Vice Chair Stayin regarding the ITC's FY 2022 budget justification. Most significantly, the funding increase that the Commission is requesting is essential to hire more staff and make necessary information-technology investments to commensurate with their record high caseload. The ITC's budget justification provides the most complete understanding of its financial needs and offers insight on how inadequate funding levels would impact its ability to enforce our trade laws and protect American workers. Therefore, I request the Committee to closely review the ITC's budget justification and fund the ITC at $118.8 million for FY 2022.

In closing, I would like to again take a moment to recognize my predecessor, Chairman Visclosky, who served on this Committee with distinction for many years. Mr. Visclosky consistently demonstrated the incredible value of the House Appropriations Committee and how responsible federal investments can transform regional economies. Chair DeLauro, Ranking Member Granger, and all members of this Committee, I look forward to building on Mr. Visclosky's positive legacy and developing strong, collaborative relationships with this Committee. I thank you once again for the opportunity to testify today.

Source