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.
On Tuesday, the Senate sent us a bill that would help American workers and businesses who are facing unfair competition as a result of other countries manipulating their currencies. It passed with strong bipartisan support, but the House Republican leadership has refused to bring it up for a vote – even though it passed the House last year by a wide bipartisan margin.
After blocking the American Jobs Act this week, Senate Republicans are clearly feeling the heat that they don’t have a jobs plan. Unfortunately for them, the “agenda” they’re rolling out is just more of the same partisan ideas that won’t create jobs or grow our economy anytime soon.
Another day, another poll showing the majority of Americans support the American Jobs Act and agree with Democrats that all Americans should contribute their fair share to help create jobs.
The Senate’s passage today of the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act is a strong statement that we will hold other countries accountable for engaging in currency manipulation. I urge Speaker Boehner and Republican Leader Cantor to allow a vote on this bill in the House, where it received strong, bipartisan support last Congress and, I believe, will pass with wide support this year. Our businesses have what it takes to succeed on a level playing field, and this bill will help them do so. Democrats’ Make It In America plan for job creation, of which this legislation is a part, will get more Americans back to work by helping our businesses innovate and export new products. Sending this bill to the President would be a victory for American businesses and American workers.
The American people are demanding action on jobs now. The President has sent a bill to Congress that economists say would help boost our economy and create as many as 1.9 million jobs. House Democrats have proposed our own plan, Make It In America, which overlaps with the President’s bill and makes similar investments in innovation, education, and infrastructure to create jobs and increase competitiveness. These plans draw on the best ideas from both parties. While Democrats have two good plans, Republicans have yet to introduce one of their own. Today’s vote in the Senate further demonstrates that Republicans are pursuing an agenda that is inconsistent with the best interests of our country. Instead of working with Democrats to create jobs, they refuse to even consider a jobs plan. Instead of allowing the bill to come to the floor so they could debate and amend the parts of it with which they disagree, Republicans have once again simply said ‘no.’ It is long past time that Republicans get serious about unemployment and adopt the type of jobs plan the American people have been asking for.
This week, House Republicans are bringing two partisan bills to the Floor that don’t create jobs, and instead are focused on advancing their ideological agenda. And according to economists, GOP economic proposals like rolling back regulations won’t help our economy in the near-term or create jobs.
Economists have taken a look at GOP policies, and the news isn’t good for our friends across the aisle – the verdict is they won’t help our economy anytime soon:
“I don't think [GOP proposals] mean much for the economy, though, in the near term, not certainly for the next 6, 12, 18 months. And I think that's where I'm most concerned and focused.” [Mark Zandi, Daily Rundown, 10/7/11]
Today’s report is a further reminder that Congress needs to act now on jobs. While the number of private sector jobs rose by 137,000 in September, and we have had 19 straight months of growth in the private sector, this is not nearly enough for the millions of American still without work and worried about making ends meet for their families. We still have much work left to do.
Today I was pleased that the Senate voted in a bipartisan manner to move forward and consider legislation that will hold countries accountable for manipulating their currency. I strongly believe that American workers and businesses can win when they compete on a fair and level playing field, and that is what this bill would help achieve. As part of House Democrats’ Make It In America jobs plan, this legislation would have a significant impact on lowering our trade deficit and getting more Americans back to work in our manufacturing sector. This bill received bipartisan support in the House last year, and I urge House Republicans to bring this bill to the Floor immediately.
Today the President called on Republicans to pass the American Jobs Act, and I join him in that call. After nine months in the majority, House Republicans have yet to introduce a comprehensive jobs plan. Americans cannot wait any longer. The American Jobs Act is based on bipartisan ideas, and economists have said that it will put people back to work and grow our economy. Many of the elements in the bill overlap with House Democrats’ Make It In America plan to help businesses innovate, expand and create jobs here. House Republicans should stop wasting time on partisan bills that don’t create jobs and instead bring the American Jobs Act to the House Floor for a vote.