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 Democrats are committed to reducing the deficit in a balanced way, the Republican budget makes the wrong choices and is not a serious attempt at deficit reduction.
Wanted to be sure you saw this op-ed by David Ignatius in Sunday’s Washington Post highlighting the resurgence of American manufacturing and the emerging trend of “reshoring.” While Republicans have still not put forward a comprehensive jobs plan, House Democrats are focused on creating an encouraging environment for businesses to bring jobs back home and to innovate and make product
"With our economy continuing to add jobs in April, the twenty-sixth consecutive month of private sector job growth, our economic recovery keeps moving forward. I am encouraged that the unemployment rate has fallen further and is now at 8.1%, down significantly from its peak during the worst of the recession...
Need more proof House Republicans were never actually serious about reducing the deficit? The Hill reports today that Republicans have no plans to pay for an extension of the Bush tax cuts:
In case you missed it, in an op-ed in Sunday’s Washington Post, Thomas Mann and Norm Ornstein place responsibility for gridlock in Congress squarely on obstructionist Republicans. The pair writes:
I served on the Labor and Health Committee for 23 years. Bill Natcher from Kentucky used to say this: if you take care of the health of your people and invest in the education of your young people, you'll continue to be the strongest and best nation on the face of the Earth.
For federal employees and their families enduring years of frozen pay, a new proposal to cut their pay could not come at a worse time. Those who serve at federal agencies are middle-class workers who never see salaries or bonuses like those on Wall Street. Federal employees have been hurt by the recession just like the rest of America's middle class. They work hard each day in jobs that are frequently high in stress and responsibility but low in pay and benefits. But they know they are making a difference and serving their country.
After months of pursuing a partisan highway bill that went nowhere, I am pleased my Republican colleagues have finally moved to go to conference on a highway bill. The bipartisan Senate compromise bill passed with a vote of 74-22 over a month ago and ought to serve as the basis for any bill reported out by the conferees. We must come together quickly and pass a final bill in order to create economic opportunities and prevent the loss of thousands of construction jobs at a time when that industry has been hit hard by the recession. I continue to urge Republicans to embrace the compromise Senate bill so we can make real progress toward advancing our recovery and investing in our long-term competitiveness.
House Republicans are reversing course after clearly feeling pressure to take action to maintain student loan interest rates at 3.4 percent for another year. However, I believe there are ways we could do so without eliminating important public health funding, such as ending unnecessary subsidies for big oil companies making record profits.
Today, President Obama reiterated Democrats’ commitment to ensuring more Americans get a fair shot at an affordable college education and called on Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling. On July 1, the interest rates on subsidized Stafford student loans are slated to double from 3.4% to 6.8%, and if Congress fails to take action, millions of students will be affected.