U.S. Senator Rob Portman was in Mansfield Sunday to support Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's campaign and his appearance at the 179th Airlift Wing at Lahm Airport.

Sen. Portman says he's proud of the 179th Airlift Wing's C-27J air cargo planes helping out with the response to the devastating flooding on the east coast brought on by Hurricane Sandy.

Sen. Portman says the C-27J continues to prove its flexibility and utility for important domestic missions like this one, just as it proved itself when serving in combat in Afghanistan.

Sen. Portman says President Barack Obama's defense budget has called for closing the 179th Airlift Wing until Congress intervened or the 179th would not have a  mission.

He believes it's a sign that the 179th Airlift Wing remains in Mansfield and keep it as it's really important and yet another reason America needs a new Commander-In-Chief to ensure it can stay.