Ohio lawmakers vow to fight defense cuts
Lancaster Eagle Gazette — The Ohio delegation is bracing for bad news on Monday, when the White House will release its budget and detail its defense spending plan, with aircraft reductions slated for both the Mansfield and Rickenbacker air national guard bases.
“The Air Force has made their preliminary decision on this,” said Portman, R-Ohio. But “Congress can reverse it.”
Portman’s remarks came after he and the rest of the Ohio delegation huddled in the basement of the U.S. Capitol, where they plotted a strategy to avert the cuts and prepare for another round of base closings.
“We’ve saved Mansfield once before,” said Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, referring to the 2005 base closure process when Mansfield was targeted. “My hope is we can do it again.”
