FREEPORT, OH — Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) visited Harrison County to tour the Freeport Press and meet with its workers. During the tour with owner David Pilcher, Brown learned about the company’s plans to expand using $6 million in federal resources, and its need for skilled workers. Brown also called for Congress to pass two key pieces of legislation he authored that would help rural economies grow, and their workers retrain for high-tech jobs in their region. 

“Freeport Press is an excellent example of the impact smart investments can have in rural communities,” Brown said. “Its workers are talented and hardworking, and I thank the company for its commitment to Harrison County. Together, we can continue to create jobs and strengthen Eastern Ohio’s economy.”

During the tour, Brown learned more about the Freeport Press’ plans to develop its facility using $6 million in New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC), a federal program that incentivizes community developers to invest in low income areas. Brown urged Congress to pass his first of its kind legislation, the Manufacturing Communities Investment Act, which would build on the proven success of the NMTC. Specifically, Brown’s legislation would spur local job creation by extending and enhancing the NMTC to allocate additional dollars for investment in struggling manufacturing communities. The NMTC expired after 2013, but between 2003 and 2012, the program drove $60 billion in private investment while creating more than 550,000 private sector jobs.

As the printing industry evolves, so too has its need for skilled workers. That is why Brown also renewed his call for Congress to pass the Strengthening Employment Clusters to Organize Regional Success (SECTORS) Act. Brown’s bipartisan legislation would help dislocated workers train for high-tech jobs in their region by organizing stakeholders connected to a regional industry to develop plans for growing that industry. These stakeholders include, among others, business and labor leaders, education and training providers, and local workforce and education system administrators. 

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