DaytonDailyNews.com

WASHINGTON — The congressional effort to save jobs at the Wilmington Air Park appeared Monday to have moved from a search and rescue effort to the equivalent of a recovery mission.

Miami Valley lawmakers who last month argued a deal that would allow UPS to carry DHL's domestic freight violated antitrust laws Monday, Nov. 10, sent subdued releases urging the Department of Labor to send federal money to the region quickly to help lessen the economic devastation posed by Deutsche Post's decision to shut down its U.S. domestic express parcel business.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said he was pushing Deutsche Post, the parent company of DHL, to file the necessary paperwork to receive emergency funds from the Department of Labor. He said he's pushing to "get Department of Labor dollars into Wilmington now. It's taking too long."

In October, the delegation had rallied around arguments that a deal between DHL and UPS would violate federal antitrust laws by diminishing competition. But on Monday, Brown played down that effort, saying this announcement appears to undercut that earlier announcement.

"It just looks like DHL is pulling its business out," he said. "If we see any merger potential with DHL and UPS, then that will be raised, that issue will come into play. But right now they're just saying they're eliminating jobs, not merging with anyone that we can see."

The delegation is also working to see whether DHL will give over the Wilmington Air Park if DHL fully or partially vacates it. Brown, too, argued for it, saying infrastructure for the airpark was heavily subsidized by state and local monies. He said the park costs $50 million a year to maintain.

"I'm hopeful that DHL will be a good citizen and turn over that air park," he said.

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, whose district includes Wilmington, issued statements but did not answer questions about the announcement Monday. Voinovich was on a congressional trip in Europe studying energy independence.

"DHL must be held accountable for its responsibility to their workforce and to our community," Turner said. "We have a great asset in the air park and a dedicated and experienced workforce here in Wilmington. We must immediately begin to build on this asset for our future economic success."

He said the community "has worked to prepare itself for this possibility for months."

"It is imperative that the workers and families at this facility receive full severance packages and have access to retraining benefits," he said. "We must also work with DHL on the reuse of the Wilmington Airpark."

Voinovich, meanwhile, said the delegation will "continue to be tireless in our efforts to ensure that state and local governments have the full federal resources needed to cope with this economic disaster."

"I'm sure all of us will urge the next administration to make extraordinary efforts to deal with what may be one of the worst economic dislocations that we've faced as a nation," he said.