Congresswoman Lee Releases Statement on October Jobs Report
Oakland, CA - Today, the Department of Labor announced that October marked the 68th consecutive month of private sector job growth. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, chair of the Democratic Whip’s Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality and Opportunity, released this statement:
“Today’s job report shows continued and sustained progress in our nation’s economic recovery. As companies continue to grow and hire more workers, we mark the continuation of the longest consecutive period of private sector job growth in our nation’s history.
It is clear that President Obama’s efforts to improve the economy are working, despite GOP attempts to derail them and our economy by hopping from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis. It’s past time for Republican leaders to stop risking economic growth and work with President Obama and Congressional Democrats to create more jobs and grow our economy.
While today’s report shows continued progress, it also shows that many communities are still being left behind by the economic recovery.
The African American and Latino unemployment rates remained unchanged. The African American unemployment rate (9.2%) continues to be more than twice the rate for white Americans (4.4%). Similarly, the Latino unemployment rate (6.3%) is nearly two full points higher than the unemployment rate of their white counterparts.
Congress cannot allow this economic recovery to leave anyone behind. It’s past time for Congress to act on poverty and inequality by creating good-paying jobs, expanding workforce training and investing in our nation’s vital infrastructure."
###
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.