Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown met with coal mine workers in the Ohio Valley Saturday about job security and mine safety.

In a private meeting at the Bob Evans restaurant in Bridgeport, Brown (D-Ohio), heard from some United Mine Workers about top concerns in the field.

Brown said the so-called "war on coal" doesn't exist, as he is looking at ways to keep miners at work.

He plans to continue pushing for Ohio coal burning with other members of Congress, Brown said.

"I'm going to take back with me the importance of burning Ohio coal. When you burn coal from Ohio and you burn coal with a scrubber, that means it's Ohio coal being burned, not Western coal," said Brown. "That's essential to preserve these high-paying jobs."

Brown said the main threat is the lower cost of natural gas because of shale drilling.