WASHINGTON, DC—Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn today released the following statement on the Department of Labor report showing 244,000 jobs were added to the economy and marking the largest rise in private sector employment since February 2006.
“The economy continues to move in the right direction, but slower than any of us would like. Job creation continues to be Democrats’ top priority, that’s why we rolled out our Make it in America jobs agenda this week which encourages U.S. manufacturing, innovation and investment in education. As part of that agenda, I plan to reintroduce my Rural Energy Savings Program Act which provides low cost home improvement loans through local electric co-ops for energy efficiency upgrades. We create jobs as families save on their energy bills.
“Republicans however have been in the majority for more than 120 days and have yet to present a jobs agenda. In fact, they’re proposing legislation in the Ways and Means committee to shred the unemployment insurance safety net, putting at risk benefits for more than 4 million unemployed Americans. Rather than working to end Medicare as we know it to give tax breaks to the wealthiest and giveaways to big oil, I think Republicans should join us on our Make it in America jobs agenda so we can continue moving our economy in the right direction.”