Black Caucus Reacts To Latest Jobs Report
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, has released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the August jobs report showing that unemployment increased to 9.6 percent:
“Although the private sector grew by 67,000 jobs, the overall number of jobs decreased by 175,000, largely reflecting the loss of 114,000 temporary workers hired for Census 2010 and resulting in the unemployment rate rising to 9.6 percent. The continued weakness in the private sector continues to illustrate the urgent need for the government to maintain its role in creating jobs and stimulating the economy.
“Additionally, unemployment rates for African Americans and Latinos remain unacceptably high at 16.3 percent and 12 percent, respectively, highlighting the disproportionate impact the recession has on minority communities and the need for targeted efforts to address chronic unemployment.
“For much of the past two years the Congressional Black Caucus has been laser focused on creating jobs and stimulating the economy, and we have had many successes in the House of Representatives. However, those efforts have been stymied by Republican Senators who are more concerned with giving tax cuts to the wealthy and protecting tax loopholes for corporations and oil companies as they continue to ignore the pressing needs of unemployed and underemployed Americans at the margins of our economy.
“When Congress returns to Washington later this month, it is imperative that we continue to work with President Obama and his administration to develop solutions to further stimulate the economy and create jobs, particularly for the chronically unemployed.”