Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on June Jobs Report
Oakland, CA – Today, the Department of Labor announced that the unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent and that June 2015 marked the 64th consecutive month of private sector job growth. Upon this news, Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement:
“Today’s job’s report is a positive sign that our economy continues to recover. Businesses are continuing to hire and create jobs.
However, today’s report also shows that the economic recovery is still not reaching all Americans.
While I am pleased that the unemployment rate for African Americans decreased from 10.2 to 9.5, the current unemployment rate for African Americans is still more than double the unemployment rate for their white counterparts (4.6).
Additionally, the unemployment rate for Latinos (6.6) remains two points higher than the rate for white Americans.
We cannot allow this recovery to leave anyone behind. Congress must ensure that the opportunity to live the American dream is open to all, not just a select few.
It’s past time for Congress to get serious about creating good-paying jobs by investing in our infrastructure. We must also renew unemployment insurance for those still struggling to find work while ensuring adequate workforce training resources so American workers can compete in today’s global economy.”
###
Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. She serves as chair of the Whip’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.