Post by bot on Jan 10, 2014 11:03:56 GMT -5
Hoyer Statement on December Jobs Report
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the Department of Labor released its jobs report for December:
Today’s report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the private sector continues to create jobs, even while Congress makes little progress toward investing in economic growth and competitiveness. Though our economy added 87,000 private sector jobs in December – a slower pace than recent months – last month saw a significant drop in the unemployment rate, falling below 7% for the first time in over five years. While we have now seen forty-six consecutive month of private sector job growth, the current pace of that growth is too slow to ensure that every American still out of work can get hired, earn a paycheck, support a family, and access the opportunities that provide a secure place in our middle class.
“As the 113th Congress begins its second session, it is imperative that jobs remain our number one priority. We must move quickly to restore the emergency unemployment insurance benefits that were stripped suddenly from 1.3 million Americans out of work, including 20,000 military veterans, on December 28. At the same time, we must do more to provide certainty to the businesses that will create jobs, while raising the minimum wage to make sure they can support a family.
“House Democrats have also offered the Make It In America plan to pursue a national manufacturing strategy, promote U.S. exports, encourage the return of jobs and innovation to our shores, and secure a twenty-first century workforce. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring Make It In America bills to the Floor and to encourage the adoption of commonsense fiscal policies that provide certainty to both workers and the private sector so we can put every American still seeking a job back to work.”
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