Statement on the Jobs Report

Washington, DC (January 10, 2013) – Rep. Jan Schakowsky released the following statement on the job report numbers released today:

“Today we learned that the economy added only 74,000 jobs last month – the lowest increase in almost three years. That is simply unacceptable, especially when we know how to change it.

“While the unemployment rate dropped, the number of long term unemployed increased, and more people gave up looking for work. The labor participation rate – the measure of adults employed or are looking for work – is only 62.8 percent, the lowest in 35 years. Every week, 72,000 long-term unemployed Americans lose their benefits. We must immediately extend emergency unemployment insurance to the long-term unemployed who cannot find employment in this jobs market.

“We should also create good jobs by investing in national priorities such as infrastructure, education, and increasing the minimum wage. We could be debating legislation to extend UI and create jobs on the House floor today – instead of wasting our time on the Republicans’ continued attacks on the Affordable Care Act.

“I once again call on the Speaker Boehner and the Republican majority to let Congress do what we were sent here to do – help working families.”

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