Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                      March 8, 2013

CONTACT: Ayofemi Kirby
(202) 226-9776
Ayofemi.Kirby@mail.house.gov

Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia L. Fudge’s Statement on the February Jobs Report

 Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia L. Fudge released the following statement today after the Department of Labor released its jobs report for February showing the economy added 236,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent:

“Today’s jobs report shows steady growth of jobs in our economy, with the national unemployment rate at the lowest it has been in four years. The country appears to be making steady progress toward economic recovery, but the report also shows public sector jobs have decreased by 10,000 and the size of the labor force has also significantly decreased as unemployed workers have given up on their job search. The African American unemployment rate is also still double that of the rest of America, remaining unchanged at 13.8%. More than 11 million African Americans are still out of work.

“With sequestration expected to further reduce public sector jobs where African Americans are heavily concentrated, and with significant cuts to unemployment benefits, workforce development, housing and health and human services programs, minorities and struggling communities will bear the burden of reversal to any progress in the making.

“It is time for Congress to work for all of America. We need a balanced fiscal plan that encourages growth across all sectors and that protects this country’s most vulnerable from falling into further economic distress. As the budget debate begins, the Congressional Black Caucus will present its budget as an alternative solution to sequestration and as a way to turn our nation’s finances around in a responsible and measured manner.”

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