Ohio's two U.S. senators said they will work to minimize the effects of potential defense budget cuts on the state, and on the Mahoning Valley in particular.
On Wednesday, we reported that leaders with the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber already were working on plans to protect the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna from any potential base closures or consolidations.
Congress must cut almost half-a-trillion dollars over the next decade from defense, and some think there needs to be another way.
While Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said the government needs to balance cuts with increasing revenues, he spoke specifically about the need to protect the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.
"I'm not saying everything's exempt from cuts. I am saying that we make a very good case in Youngstown, Ohio, a very god case in Vienna that this is necessary. I will make that case," Brown said.
In the meantime, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, thinks cuts need to be made in areas other than defense.
"We do need to find it in our budget and we can. We've got a $3.7 trillion budget. We can do it, but I am concerned about some of these defense cuts because I think they cut too deeply," Portman said.
He said he's not convinced another round of closings will even be necessary. He said he will be in this area later this month and plans to meet with local community leaders to discuss the situation at the base.
