Senators urge Trump to preserve U.S. steel jobs

Both of Ohio’s senators are urging President Donald Trump to consider American jobs as he weighs whether to impose restrictions on steel imports to the U.S.

In 2015, the U.S. steel industry, with more than 95 production sites, manufactured 87 million tons in steel — directly employing about 140,000 people and supporting almost another one million U.S. jobs, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute, a trade organization.

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Of particular concern is the electric steels produced by AK Steel Corp., based in Butler County’s West Chester Twp. and operating in Middletown.

Those steels are crucial to the operation of the nation’s electrical distribution grid.

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Sen. Rob Portman Tuesday said the dependable production of that kind of steel is a “national security issue.”

AK Steel is one of the region’s largest employers, with about 2,700 employees.

Read more about what's at stake here.

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