Chairman Cleaver’s Statement on the Recent Unemployment Numbers
Washington, DC – Today Chairman Emanuel Cleaver released the following statements on the recent unemployment numbers:
“I am encouraged that for the fourth straight month we have seen improvement in our nation’s overall unemployment. Now, finally we see improvement in African American unemployment. 257,000 jobs were added last month and the unemployment rate fell from 8.5 percent to 8.3%. African American unemployment has decreased from 15.8% to 13.6%. While I am pleased that these numbers have improved, the fact is unemployment in the African American community still remains in the double digits as it has since the beginning of this recession. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have seen first-hand the devastating economic conditions of millions of American families, which is why we launched our national ‘For the People’ Jobs Initiative last summer and introduced over fifty job creation bills since the beginning of the 112th Congress. In addition, we provided nine job creation recommendations targeting our nation’s most vulnerable communities.
“In contrast, the Republican Leadership has refused to take any real action on jobs in the 112th Congress. The Republican Leadership has refused to consider President Obama’s American Jobs Act, which would provide opportunities for hard working American families. By denying the American people opportunities we are denying ourselves full economic recovery. The American Jobs Act is not a hand out, it is a hand up out of poverty, out of debt, out of foreclosure and most importantly, out of hopelessness. The Republican Leadership has failed the American people and no matter how well everyone else seems to be doing, we cannot ignore the fact that those in our most vulnerable communities continue to suffer. Their sufferings are our own. In the spirit of fairness, we must work together to create opportunities for all Americans. I am hoping that my colleagues will give hard working American families the opportunities they deserve.”
-Chairman Emanuel Cleaver, II
