U.S. Sen. Rob Portman paid a visit to a New Middletown company and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station on Tuesday. 

The company Portman stopped at is called the Personal Protected Company. They shifted their manufacturing during the pandemic to make the quad-sink, which is a high-volume, touchless handwashing station.

The Personal Protected Company was able to stay afloat because they received a Paycheck Protection Program loan, which Portman supported to help small businesses.

"It's a classic example of where the federal program stepped in to help to keep these guys employed and to keep the company open," Portman said. 

Portman says the Mahoning Valley has great potential for more exporting and plans to help companies get federal help so they can manufacture their products for international markets.

Portman also visited the Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) to go over what he would like to see for the facility as part of the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

"We discussed my priorities on behalf of YARS in the upcoming consideration of the NDAA. This includes requesting a study on the appropriate number of C-130 aircraft for special mission units, constructing additional runways for training purposes and pursuing a federal interagency national spray plan," Portman said. "As the largest employer in Trumbull County, YARS has had a significant economic impact on the region, deployed its resources to those in need across the globe and defended the values we hold dearest as Americans."