Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on April Jobs Report
Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee released this statement following the Department of Labor’s announcement that the economy added 223,000 jobs in April, marking the 62nd consecutive month of private sector job growth. Since April 2014, approximately 1.1 million unemployed Americans have found a job causing the unemployment rate to fall to 5.4 percent.
“I am pleased to see the U.S. unemployment continue to decline as businesses hire more workers.
However, today’s jobs report clearly shows that the economic recovery is not reaching all Americans. Too many people are still struggling to find work, especially in communities of color.
I am deeply troubled by the more than one point increase in the Asian American unemployment rate in just over one month.
Furthermore, while the unemployment rate for African Americans and Latinos continues to decline, the rates remains significantly higher than the rate of white Americans at 9.6 percent and 6.9 percent, respectively.
As our economy continues recovering, we cannot leave anyone or any community behind. As Congress returns from recess, we must work even harder to renew unemployment insurance for the millions still struggling, raise the minimum wage while working toward a living wage for those working full-time and invest in America’s infrastructure to create good-paying jobs.
This is the Democratic agenda and I hope the Republican leadership joins us in working to create good-paying jobs for all families.”
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Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations Committee, 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.