Ranking Member Scott Statement on October Jobs Report
WASHINGTON – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy gained 165,000 jobs in October, and the unemployment rate ticked down from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent.
“In the almost two years since President Trump returned to office, the price of necessities such as groceries, health care, and gas has skyrocketed. This is a direct result of this President’s willingness to engage in reckless trade wars, kick millions of Americans off of health insurance and food assistance, and initiate a deeply misguided military conflict in Iran. This Tuesday, a record number of voters flocked to the polls to make their voices heard – a day which saw the highest gas prices for Election Day in U.S. history.
“The message is loud and clear: Trump’s economy is not working for working people. According to a Pew Research Center survey, nearly a third of Americans worry daily about the cost of health care, over a quarter cannot afford to pay their bills, and over half have not been able to afford to save for their future. Meanwhile, inflation has surpassed wage growth, and the cost of everyday necessities has stretched workers’ paychecks thin. Instead of investing in America, the Trump Administration has spent $47 billion on another foreign war that has caused Americans to suffer at the gas pump.
“As of today’s jobs report, Trump has added only just over one million jobs in his first 21 months, while the Biden Administration added 11.1 million within its first 21 months. While the Trump Administration celebrates the creation of 165,000 jobs, that number is roughly half of President Biden’s four-year monthly average.
“In the 120th Congress, Democrats will fight back against the Trump Administration’s reckless economic policies. Trump's decisions have left our economy teetering on a precipice. Now we must begin the long process of recovering from the damage that Trump has done, building something better in its wake. Democrats will deliver on the promise of an America that benefits everyone by investing in well-paying jobs, improving job training, and lowering the cost of college to build an economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy few.”
To see a chart comparing the cumulative seasonally adjusted job change by month between President Trump's first and second terms, and President Biden's presidency, click here.
To see a chart comparing the total job change between President Trump's first 21 months in office and President Biden's first 21 months in office, click here.
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