Jobs & the Economy
Throughout the 117th Congress, House Democrats have partnered with President Biden to enact policies that expand economic opportunity for businesses, workers, and communities across America. Under President Biden and Congressional Democrats, the unemployment rate is at its lowest in more than 50 years with more than 10 million jobs created, helping more of our people get ahead in today’s economy and Make It In America.
Democrats pursue an economic agenda that helps American businesses create good-paying jobs and ensure that workers have the tools not only to get by but to get ahead in our global economy. From raising the minimum wage to providing skills training and apprenticeship opportunities to ensuring equal pay for equal work, from making childcare more affordable to making it easier to save for retirement, Democrats’ economic policies are aimed at helping workers and their families attain real economic security at every stage of life.
Democrats have also delivered historic legislation investing in infrastructure and greater access to high-speed internet, taking the lead in the clean-energy economy, and supporting innovation and entrepreneurship. The generational Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has already begun to expand economic opportunity for Americans in communities across the country and takes action to repair our nation’s roads, bridges, ports, and other infrastructure while creating nearly 1.5 million jobs annually over the next decade. It contains the first major American investment in climate resilience to help communities upgrade their critical infrastructure and mitigate the impact of climate change-driven extreme weather. Likewise, the Inflation Reduction Act also advances America’s clean energy goals, turbocharging clean energy research and transmission while promoting electric vehicle domestic manufacturing to reduce American dependence on gasoline while revitalizing our auto industry.
The CHIPS and Science Act includes bipartisan measures to revitalize the domestic semiconductor industry and spur research. By strengthening domestic supply chains, this law acts directly to accelerate American innovation in the long-term while acting immediately to address inflation and create good paying jobs. House Democrats will continue to champion skills training and education at every level – from early childhood learning through higher education – to prepare our people for success and advancement in a changing economy. In all of these efforts, Democrats will continue to look for ways to make access to opportunities more equitable and to combat the lingering effects of legalized discrimination that continue to make it harder for minorities to access credit for loans, seek investment capital for startups, and build wealth to pass on to the next generation.
With historic job creation under President Biden, House Democrats will continue to advance policies that expand economic opportunity for working families, support small businesses, and create better-paying jobs.
"While 1.3 million Americans who have lost their jobs continue to go without emergency unemployment insurance, Republicans continue to obstruct, delay, and filibuster.
While House Republicans claim they want to create jobs and improve our economy, they have ignored critical legislation that would strengthen the economy.
“If, in fact, we want to help the 1.3 million people who on December 28 lost their, in efect, safety net to keep food on their table and their family intact, then [Republicans need to] offer it.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
Last month, 1.3 million Americans lost access to emergency unemployment insurance, an important program helping struggling families – including 20,000 military veterans – as they continue to search for work. While our economy is improving, too many Americans are still searching for a job and without Congressional action, an additional 72,000 Americans will lose their unemployment benefits each week. The top priorit
“Today’s report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the private sector continues to create jobs, even while Congress makes little progress toward investing in economic growth and competitiveness.
“I thank the Gentleman for yielding. I appreciate this opportunity to comment not only upon this rule, which provides of course for mostly closed rules, no amendments, no ability to change or modify, particularly two bills that had no hearings, went to no committees and were reported out – doing stuff that we did for 2013 almost without exception.
While Americans around the country are calling for action – with a recent poll showing 58 percent of voters support renewing emergency unemployment benefits – House Republicans are still refusing to take action to renew this assistance that expired last month for 1.3 million Americans.
“Senator [Harry] Reid has said they want to do a 90-day extension while we talk about what can be done on a longer term [basis].
“I thank the Gentlewoman from California, Barbara Lee for leading this special order and for chairing the House Democratic Whip’s Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity.
As temperatures have dropped in Washington, the heat is rising for Republicans who continue to oppose extending emergency unemployment insurance. Today’s call for action comes from the Washington Post, which also notes that an extension of UI should be followed immediately by a serious, bipartisan effort to create jobs and promote