Ranking Member Scott Statement on February Jobs Report
WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) released the following statement after theBureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 151,000 jobs in February, and the unemployment rate rose from 4.0 percent to 4.1 percent. During President Biden's first month in office, the economy created 509,000 jobs in February 2021. Over the course of President Biden's term, seasonally adjusted job creation averaged 337,000. Under President Biden, the economy added 16.2 million jobs in total and did not have a single month of seasonally adjusted job loss during his entire term.
“In the time since Donald Trump has returned to the White House, he has continued to demonstrate his complete disregard for the health, safety, and wellbeing of workers. He has given Elon Musk – an unelected billionaire – license to raze key pillars of the federal government, leaving thousands of workers without safety protections and federal workers jobless without notice or cause.
“We stand at a critical juncture for America’s workers, who are the backbone of our nation’s economy. Thousands of workers across the country, such as medical personnel, scientists, and park rangers, face the loss of their ability to provide for their families, and the American public faces a loss of services. Now more than ever, workers need comprehensive protections against the volatility caused by the Trump Administration.
“This week, I reintroduced the bipartisan Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would strengthen workers’ right to form a union and protect themselves against threats to their livelihoods. Unions empower workers to negotiate for higher pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces.
“Right now, support for unions remains at near-record highs — but despite that, unscrupulous employers are flaunting the law and preventing workers from organizing. The PRO Act levels the playing field by strengthening the federal law that protects workers’ right to join a union and holds employers accountable for violating workers’ rights.
“As the Trump Administration continues to take reckless action, such as imposing tariffs against our closest trade partners, without thought to the effect this will have on the American people or the cost of goods, our priority must be to protect workers and defend the economic progress made under the Biden Administration. We must keep fighting for an economy that empowers all Americans, not just the wealthy few.”
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