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.
“Unless Congress acts, in two weeks sequestration will take effect, severely damaging our economy and our national security. In the seven weeks this Congress has been in session, House Republicans have failed to bring a single piece of legislation to the Floor to prevent sequestration from happening. Democrats, meanwhile, have now introduced serious alternatives in both the House and the Senate that are balanced and that will avert the sequester’s most painful effects.
“The Gentleman who preceded me is new to the Congress of the United States. I've been here for a little longer than that, some 32 years. This is the least confidence building Congress – last Congress and this Congress – in which I have ever served. It is taking us from fiscal crisis to fiscal crisis. It is creating cliffs where no cliffs ought to exist, and they undermine the confidence of business, America, Americans, and, indeed, the rest of the world that needs a stable and secure America to ensure that we keep the kind of stability that Americans want here at home and around the world.
“Mr. Speaker, the President spoke to us last night and he talked to us about avoiding the sequester.
The sequester was designed as an irrational and harmful policy that would force lawmakers to reach a balanced and bipartisan solution. Unfortunately, as more Republicans have supported the policy, we can’t help but begin to wonder: are Republicans more irrational than the sequester itself?
The latest Republican to embrace these devastating cuts:
Over the past several weeks Republicans have increasingly shown their support of the sequester, which is due to take effect in just over two weeks.
“I certainly think that we need to encourage business growth in our country, manufacturing in our country.
“Mr. Speaker, tonight the President will once again walk into this chamber and lay out a vision for how to strengthen America in the years ahead.
MESSAGE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC WHIP
This week, I was disappointed that House Republicans continued their agenda of political messaging instead of substantive legislation. Rather than spending time voting on a gimmick budget bill, House Republicans should have been working with Democrats towards a balanced solution to avert the looming sequester.
"Good morning, and thank you for this opportunity to kick off what promises to be an interesting and informative day of discussions about the future of manufacturing in our country.
As the March 1st deadline quickly approaches, there is still time to stop the automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration, from occurring. Unfortunately, many Republicans have indicated that they are willing to let sequestration happen in spite of the harmful impact it will have on the economy, our national defense, and on working Americans: