Girard cites a new study showing that trade with China alone is responsible for more than 2 million American job losses since 2001.

The study by the Economic Policy Institute indicates that trading with China from 2007 until 2007 is responsible for 2.3 million job losses in the United States. More than 100,000 of those job losses were in Ohio and approximately 7,000 in West Virginia.

In a conference call Wednesday with lawmakers and industry leaders, Girard praised those responsible for doing the research for the study.

A USW staff representative for Eastern Ohio and the Northern Panhandle, Sano Santoro, said he strongly agrees with Girard. Santoro said free trade has hurt the steel industry since 1990.

“From that point on we’ve had nothing but problems, all our jobs start disappearing,” said Santoro. “We need Congress to work to get together with labor and try to get these industry jobs back.”

Santoro and Girard are hoping both presidential candidates focus more on trade laws during the remaining months of campaigning.