Chairman Scott Statement on July Jobs Report

WASHINGTON – Chairman Bobby Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy added 164,000 jobs in July and the unemployment rate held at 3.7 percent.

“After 106 straight months of private sector job growth, workers and middle-class families are still not receiving a fair share of economic growth. Today’s jobs report adds to an extensive body of evidence showing that the low unemployment rate is not resulting in sufficient wage growth for millions of Americans.

“Notably, despite the Trump administration’s efforts to claim responsibility for historic economic growth, there were more total non-farm jobs created in the last 30 months of the Obama administration than the first 30 months of the Trump administration.

“Stagnant wages – combined with the rising cost of housing, child care, college, and other key pillars of long-term financial security – are leaving many workers behind. Congress must take action to give workers the raise they deserve. 

“Last month, House Democrats passed the Raise the Wage Act, a bill that gradually raises the minimum wage to $15 by 2025. This legislation, which is supported by two-thirds of Americans, would be the first increase in the federal minimum wage in more than a decade. It’s time for Senate Republicans to stop standing in the way of higher wages for workers and pass the Raise the Wage Act.”

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