Chairman Scott Statement on January Jobs Report
WASHINGTON – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 304,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate increased to 4.0 percent.
“While today’s jobs report shows that our economy continues to grow, it does not account for the damage done by the 35-day partial government shutdown caused by President Trump and Majority Leader McConnell. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the President’s shutdown cost the U.S. economy $11 billion – $3 billion of which is permanently lost. The defining element of this shutdown was the needless pain it caused hundreds of thousands of federal workers, contractors, and their families as well as the harm done to the local businesses that serve them.
“With the government open, House Democrats are continuing to fight for workers. Last month, we introduced the Raise the Wage Act, which gradually increases the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024 for all workers. In the coming months, the Committee will continue to advance legislation to lift hardworking people out of poverty, strengthen the economy, and give every American the opportunity to reach their potential.”
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