Congressman Trone Visits Local Businesses and Honors First Responders During Washington and Frederick Counties Tour
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 9, 2022
Contact: Sloane Gallagher, Sloane.Gallagher@mail.house.gov
Congressman Trone Visits Local Businesses and Honors First Responders During Washington and Frederick Counties Tour
Rep. Trone looks at COVID-19 test kits during a tour of Ellume
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman David Trone (MD-06) visited Washington and Frederick Counties to discuss medical research, promote local businesses, and support our first responders.
Trone started his day by visiting IKO, a roofing company that opened a manufacturing plant in Hagerstown earlier this year. During his visit, Trone toured the facility and spoke with employees about the importance of expanding manufacturing jobs. Trone then traveled to the National Emergency Training Center to meet with the U.S. Fire Administration to discuss his efforts to support first responders, including his bill the Public Safety Officer Support Act, which is on its way to the President’s desk to become law. Following the tour, Trone met with representatives from the National Firefighters Foundation at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial to honor Frederick County Fire Battalion Chief Joshua Laird, who passed away one year ago on August 11, 2021, while responding to a house fire.
The day ended with a visit to Ellume, a Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) company in Frederick that partners with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Trone was joined on the tour by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and NIST Director, Dr. Laurie E. Locascio. Trone voted to pass the CHIPS and Science Act in July, which authorizes $9 billion for NIST and triples the funding for Manufacturing Extension Partnership programs.
“Today, I got the opportunity to speak with Frederick and Washington county residents about my top priorities in Congress. We need to invest in manufacturing, medical research, local businesses, mental health, and our first responders,” said Congressman David Trone. “I’m fighting every day in Congress to expand resources and funding for these initiatives and I’m proud to say that we’ve been able to make significant progress by passing both the Public Safety Officer Support Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. This progress is important but it’s only just the beginning.”
“I very much enjoyed the opportunity to join Congressman Trone, Senator Van Hollen, NIST Director Locasio and the many constituents who joined us in Frederick for several candid discussions about current events,” said Senator Cardin. “Every time I visit Frederick County, I am struck by the commitment to innovation and advancement I see in the region and its residents. From its small businesses to cutting-edge medical science installations, Frederick has found ways to preserve its historic character while positioning itself for a strong regional economic future.”
“Senator Cardin, Congressman Trone, and I are looking for every opportunity to bring more high tech manufacturing jobs to Maryland. That includes supporting the federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership at NIST. Today, we witnessed firsthand a public-private partnership in Frederick that is producing jobs making tests that can detect COVID-19 or other viruses. It is a good example of what we are doing to ensure the U.S. brings home critical supply chains so we are not dependent on other countries during a health emergency. I will continue working to support Maryland’s economy and bring federal investments to our communities to support the careers and the innovation we saw in action today,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“Thank you to Congressman Trone for taking the time to visit the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial and paying his respect to the men and women who have given their lives to protect communities across our nation,” said Chief Ron Siarnicki, Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. “We appreciate the Congressman’s continued support of the nation’s fire service and the families of our fallen firefighters.”
“From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellume has been committed to supporting the U.S. government’s response, and helping to prepare for and mitigate future pandemics,” said Dan Mallon, Ellume’s Vice President of Business Development. “It was a pleasure to have Congressman Trone, Senator Cardin, Senator Van Hollen, and NIST Director Locascio tour our new facility in Frederick and see firsthand Ellume’s manufacturing capability to respond to any future surge in demand, while also accelerating innovation to develop solutions for the public health needs of today and tomorrow.”
Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Appropriations, Veterans’ Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees. In Congress, Trone is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the mental health and addiction crises, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.
Follow Congressman Trone at @RepDavidTrone for updates on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
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