Two-and-a-half years ago, Congressman Tom Reed held a town hall meeting with the employees at the Vulcraft plant in Chemung to hear what they wanted done in Washington. As our Bill Mich tell us, Monday the congressman was back to let the workers know that he wants to continue to fight for their jobs.

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CHEMUNG, N.Y. -- The Vulcraft plant in Chemung is part of the Nucor Corporation, one of the nation's largest steel producers. The plant employees over 300 people locally and officials say business is starting to pick up again. But just like any other manufacture in the nation, the company has to worry about increasing costs.

"To have a vibrant, strong manufacturing sector in the United States, you got to have a form of cheap, reliable energy and natural gas is sitting here right underneath our feet," said Nucor Vice President and General Manager Mike Heine.

A proponent of exploring the natural gas industry in New York is Congressman Tom Reed and he paid a visit to the Vulcraft plant on Monday. Reed says exploring domestic options is a must because it will lower energy costs for manufactures, which will help keep existing jobs and open the doors for new jobs in the future.

"These guys need power, they need energy in order to power these plants and that's what's going to lead to the industrial manufacturing Renaissance in America and we are going to stand for those policies," said Reed.

The Congressman says the House has passed 27 energy related bills that are now waiting to be voted on in the Senate. But Reed believes that has sent a message to the private sector that there are people in Washington fighting for American jobs. Jobs like the 300 currently working in the local Vulcraft plant.