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 Republicans are holding middle class tax cuts hostage so they can give tax cuts to the wealthy, they might want to check out today’s National Journal poll. According to the poll results, a majority of Americans oppose extending tax breaks for the wealthy:
With two weeks to go before the highway bill expires and student loan interest rates double, House Republicans are not taking action on either item. Instead, they're once again wasting time on political messaging bills. Their message items this week: two anti-environmental bills that do not create jobs and threaten public health.
As we return from the ninth full week of recess since the 112th Congress reconvened in January, House Republicans continue to pursue an extreme agenda that ignores our challenges of creating jobs and furthering our economic recovery. We have only twenty-four legislative days remaining before August’s five-week district work period. Furthermore, the House is only scheduled to be in session for eight legislative days in September and a mere five in October.
We’ve got two weeks to go before the highway bill expires and student loan interest rate doubles. So obviously Republicans are taking action on these critical items – oh, wait. No, they’re not. Instead they’re focusing on… deadly force to protect salmon? We’re sure Americans across the country who are looking for work are relieved to know Republicans are on top of it.
Today, we heard President Obama lay out a plan for America’s economic future to provide businesses with certainty, to create jobs for the middle class, and to pay down our debt. The American people understand what’s at stake this year: the progress of our economic recovery and the potential for a new generation of prosperity. The path laid out by the President is the right way to further our recovery, as demonstrated by the success of our auto industry after Democrats took action to prevent automakers from going bankrupt.
Wanted to pass along some highlights from this morning’s WSJ article with Republican governors touting economic gains and the growth of manufacturing in their states, complicating Mitt Romney’s doom-and-gloom narrative:
Looks like Republicans have given up trying to hide their true priorities. While Americans and businesses are facing economic uncertainty, Republicans are now admitting that they’re slowing down the legislative process on purpose in the hopes of postponing debate on critical items until after the election, when they hope things will be more in their favor.
Yesterday, we highlighted some harsh truths former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida said at a breakfast with reporters, during which he pointed out that confrontation has become the new norm for Congressional Republicans.
There has been a lot of finger-pointing recently about who is responsible for our country’s economic health. While Republicans are busy blaming President Obama, this New York Times op-ed by Bruce Bartlett—himself an advisor to two Republican presidents—explains that the previous White House occupant, Mr. Bush, is actually more responsible for our country’s budget deficit.
By now, you have probably heard it plenty of times from us: Republicans continue to insist on confrontation over consensus, no matter the cost to our economy. We need a big, bold and balanced deficit reduction plan, but it takes two to tango. And the GOP is so allergic to compromise, House Republicans skipped town for another recess, with critical measures to keep our highways funded and student loan rates from doubling still unresolved.