“While state and local governments are laying people off in order to balance their budgets it is essential for Congress to create public and private sector jobs in communities across America.

“Chairman Miller’s Local Jobs for America Act is a critically important piece of legislation that directly addresses the needs of working men and women struggling to meet the needs of their families.

“While the national unemployment rate is now below 10 percent, unemployment among African Americans is at 15.8 percent and Latinos at 12.4 percent. These figures illustrate that our economic recovery has been uneven and many communities continue to suffer disproportionately.

“The Local Jobs for America Act is one piece of a multifaceted approach to stimulate the economy, create jobs and respond to the needs of the chronically unemployed and underemployed, as well as populations who are living below the poverty line.

“This legislation reflects the work of members of the Congressional Black Caucus have teamed with Chairman Miller to craft provisions in this bill that directly address the needs of the chronically unemployed.”

Among the provisions in the bill sought by members of the CBC are:

• Targeting funding to community-based organizations serving communities with poverty rates of 12 percent and/or unemployment rates that are 2 percent or more than the national average.

• On-the-job training for thousands seeking new skills for a new economy.

• Targeting those communities hit hardest by the recession especially the chronically unemployed and underemployed. 

• Support programs that retrain, rehire and hire teachers, law enforcement officers and firefighters

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Congressional Black Caucus
2444 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515 
(202) 226-9776 (T)
(202) 225-9817 (F)