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.
As our economy continues to recover, Congress must remain focused on supporting sustained growth and job creation. Instead, the Republican leadership has refused to work with Democrats to find a solution to stop the sequester, putting thousands of jobs at risk and placing our economy in jeopardy
Lack of action by Republicans means the impact of the sequester will be felt over the coming weeks and months across a range of government departments. The Washington Post breaks down how these indiscriminate cuts could impact departments ranging from the FDA to the FAA:
“Today’s report by the Institute for Supply Management, which shows stronger-than-expected gains for our manufacturing sector, is a further sign that we have made progress. But we have a responsibility to build on this progress and do more to help businesses in that sector compete, succeed, and create jobs. Congress must make job creation a priority, and in particular focus on promoting the advanced manufacturing sector and the innovation and jobs that go with it.
Today, House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) announced the creation of the new Democratic Whip Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, and that he has appointed Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) to serve as its chair. The Task Force will work to raise the awareness of Members of Congress and the American people about the ongoing crisis of poverty, as well as the need for a comprehensive national effort to eradicate poverty and remove barriers to opportunity that prevent low-income Americans from reaching the middle class.
Well this should come as no surprise. According to a Bloomberg News poll, Americans want Congress to prevent the steep and arbitrary spending cuts, better known as the sequester, from happening. In addition to this revelation, the American people also support a compromise that includes both revenues and strategic spending cuts:
This week, the Pentagon informed 800,000 civilian employees worldwide they would be forced to take unpaid leave under the sequester, leaving a gaping hole in our defense personnel and systems. There has been no shortage of news stories warning about how the devastating cuts will undermine our military readiness. As described in the Hill:
Well, we can’t say we’re surprised. Despite the warnings from our economists and defense leaders about sequestration’s disastrous impact, the response from Republicans is simple: we don’t care. Just see today’s article from The Hill, “GOP Lawmakers Don’t Fear Political Impact of Sequester,” where Republicans are still rooting for the irrational sequester:
“President Obama is right when he warns of the serious consequences to our economy and national security if Congress fails to compromise and prevent the automatic budget cuts known as sequestration. Sequestration is an arbitrary, irrational policy that was intended to bring both sides to the table. Unfortunately, House Republicans have refused to bring an alternative to sequestration to the Floor for a vote.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
If Congress fails to act, two weeks from today, the Republican policy known as sequestration will take effect. Sequestration's extreme, arbitrary, across-the-board spending cuts would severely damage our recovering economy and threaten our national security. For the past eight weeks, House Republicans have failed to bring a single piece of legislation to the Floor to prevent sequestration from happening.
“Two weeks from today, if Congress fails to act, the Republican policy – the Republican policy – of sequestration will take effect.