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.
With millions of Americans struggling to find work, Democrats are urging House Republicans to work with us on an extension of emergency unemployment benefits before they expire at the end of this year. With 6.5 million fewer jobs in the economy today than when the recession began and over four people seeking employment for every open position available, it’s clear our economy and millions of unemployed Americans are depending on an extension of these benefits.
I rise in strong opposition to this misnamed bill, which would promote neither democracy nor fairness in the workplace. The right of workers to organize and bargain collectively for better and fairer conditions has been protected by our laws since the era of the New Deal.
Wanted to flag this quote for you as you all work on your year-end legislative business stories. Even Rep. Jack Kingston acknowledges the leverage House Democrats have in keeping controversial policy riders out of remaining appropriations bills:
Wanted to be sure you saw this article in today’s Politico on GOP “heartburn” and division over their jobs message. It’s not hard to see why they’re having so much trouble with their message – after eleven months in the House majority, they still haven’t put forward an actual jobs plan.
This week, House Republicans will continue pursuing partisan legislation that will not create jobs or boost our economy. Rather than putting forward a comprehensive jobs plan, Republicans are wasting time on bills that have nothing to do with jobs and undermine critical consumer and environmental protections.
Before you head home (or to your Thanksgiving destination) tonight, we’ll leave you with this Politico story about CBO’s report that the Recovery Act added up to 3.3 million jobs in the third quarter of 2011.
Some highlights:
This week our nation celebrates American Education Week, a time to focus on our commitment to students and educators and rededicate ourselves to ensuring all Americans can receive a quality education. While Republicans have voted several times over the past year to make reckless cuts to education and job training, Democrats remain committed to making investments in our nation’s future. For example, just two months ago, the Obama Administration awarded Community College and Career Training grants, authorized by the Reconciliation Act of 2010, to community colleges to expand and improve education and job training programs and create pathways for people who are looking for employment.
Today, the House passed a conference report that adheres to the Budget Control Act and still contains a number of good investments. It demonstrates that responsible Republicans and Democrats can work together to pass legislation to fund the government in line with past agreements and meet our shared responsibility to the American people.
With Speaker Boehner and Reps. Mica and Hastings set to discuss a long-term surface transportation bill at a press conference this morning, we here in the Democratic Whip Press Shop wanted to offer up a few suggested questions to pose for the lawmakers:
1.) After 11 months in the majority, why have Republicans still not come up with a comprehensive jobs plan?