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.
Community banks, Mr. Speaker, are the lifeblood of our local economies. They are locally owned and operated. They know their local businesses and residents intimately and lend to them not just because it's a sound business decision, but also because it benefits the community. With the credit and lending crisis we have experienced over the past couple of years, the small banks that operate in our local communities face numerous challenges just to stay afloat.
It’s been over 300 days since Republicans took control of the House majority and pledged to focus on growing the economy and creating jobs. While Republicans have repeatedly claimed they are focused on jobs, a look at their calendar paints a different picture:
The American people expect us to work together to create jobs, grow the economy, and reduce the deficit – not take the government to the brink of a shutdown by including partisan, ideological policy riders in appropriations bills,” said Whip Hoyer. “That’s why Democrats are sending a letter to Republicans asking them to live up to their pledge to not use must-pass legislation to advance a partisan agenda. We note that not all policy riders are objectionable, and ask that controversial policy riders be removed from these bills. I hope Republicans will work with us on this issue, and focus on getting Americans back to work.
Today marks 300 days since Republicans took control of the House majority and pledged to focus on Americans’ top concerns: growing the economy and creating jobs. But after 300 days, Republicans have taken little action to help put Americans back to work and still do not have a comprehensive plan. While children across the country dress as ghosts and goblins for trick or treating on Halloween night, Republicans are busy dressing up their partisan ideas as jobs bills, leaving the American people with plenty of tricks but no treats.
We need to have more bipartisanship. We need to be working together. There needs to be a greater response to the President of the United States’ initiative to pass an American Jobs Act, which would create a million, over a million jobs. At least it would up our economy, would invest in our infrastructure. Keep policemen, firemen, teachers on the job in our communities. Unfortunately, the Republicans have turned a deaf ear to those initiatives to the detriment, in my opinion, of our economy and of our people.
Today’s third quarter GDP report shows why you should never underestimate the resilience of the American economy and the American worker. After posting quarterly growth rates of .4% and 1.3% earlier this year, our economy grew at a 2.5% rate, nearly a full percentage point higher than most predicted earlier this month. While this is welcome news for our economic recovery in general, it does little to reassure the 14 million Americans still out of work and looking for jobs or the families across the country struggling to get by in these tough times. We need a comprehensive strategy to boost our economy and create jobs for the middle class. I urge Republicans to work with Democrats and allow Congress to vote on real jobs legislation, like the President’s American Jobs Act and House Democrats’ Make It In America plan, that will create jobs and invest in the growth of American businesses and in the competitiveness of our workforce. We cannot wait any longer.
Rather than work with Democrats on bipartisan bills that are fully paid for and would help put more Americans back to work, Republicans insist on pursuing a partisan agenda. Now, they are urging Members to use a new pocket card to talk about their so-called “forgotten fifteen” jobs bills.
As President Obama said yesterday, we can’t wait. It’s time for Republicans to put country before party, and take action on these bills to help put more Americans back to work, grow our economy and help ensure more middle class families can succeed.
The U.S. manufacturer, whose elevators zip up and down structures as diverse as the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower, is moving production from its factory in Nogales, Mexico, to a new plant in South Carolina.
Last night's vote demonstrated once again that Republicans in Congress are more concerned with positioning for the next election than doing what's necessary to help get Americans back to work. The bill blocked by Senate Republicans would have kept thousands of teachers in the classroom and thousands of first responders at the ready in communities across the country. Over and over, Republicans seem intent on torpedoing any proposal by the President and Democrats, even if it contains bipartisan ideas and would benefit those who are desperately seeking jobs. It is long past time for them to work together with Democrats to pass job-creating legislation like the one they blocked last night. I strongly urge Republican Leader McConnell to reconsider and allow the Senate to move forward with this and other measures to create jobs now.