Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement on May Jobs Report
Oakland, CA - Congresswoman Barbara Lee released the following statement upon the Department of Labor’s announcement that the economy added 280,000 jobs in May, marking the 63rd consecutive month of private sector job growth.
“I am pleased to see businesses continuing to hire and create jobs.
However, today’s report also shows that the economic recovery is still not reaching all Americans.
While the Latino unemployment rate declined slightly (0.2) to 6.7 percent, it is still two points higher than the unemployment rate for white Americans (4.7).
Most concerning was the jump (0.8) in the African American unemployment rate to 10.2 percent, which remains more than twice the unemployment rate for white Americans.
As our economy continues to recover from the worst economic crisis in recent memory, we cannot leave anyone behind. Congress has a duty to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live the American dream.
It’s past time for Congress to create jobs by investing in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure and renewing unemployment insurance for the millions still struggling to find a job. We must also raise the minimum wage and work towards a living wage for those who are working but still living in poverty.”
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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.