Date: 2010-05-04
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to discuss the need to create more jobs in the American economy. We have had some good news on jobs lately. The Nations unemployment rate has finally dipped below 10 percent. and the economy added 162.000 jobs in March alone. It is a start. The economic stimulus measures in last years Recovery Act are starting to pay off. but it is still not enough. Over 44 percent of unemployed Americans have been jobless for 6 months or longer. the highest rate since World War II. For the longterm unemployed. that light at the end of the tunnel may feel more like a freight train bearing down on them. Longterm unemployment cuts across nearly every industry and occupation. and happens to workers of all ages. Longterm unemployment is bad for families. and it is bad for the country. Longterm unemployment can permanently depress a persons future wages. A study published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago followed up on workers who lost their jobs during the recession of 2001 to 2003. It found that those working again by 2004 earned 17 percent less per week than they would have if they had kept their old job. Longterm unemployment also drains the Federal purse. not only increasing costs for unemployment. Medicaid. and food assistance. but also severely reducing income tax revenue. I strongly support safety net programs to help families survive bouts of unemployment. but. in the end. Americans would rather work. We must help get them back to work in jobs that will allow them to care for their families and send their children to college. That is why I have introduced the Public Lands Rehabilitation and Job Creation Act. which will create wellpaying jobs fixing roads and buildings in our Nations parks and forests. It is why I introduced the Sustainable Property Grants Act. to create jobs manufacturing and installing energy efficient equipment for commercial properties throughout the Nation. It is why I am working to support the Presidents export initiative. to create wellpaying manufacturing jobs by expanding overseas markets for U.S.made products. It is why I work hard to ensure that our trade laws and agreements are enforced. so U.S. firms dont get undercut by countries that dont play by the rules. And it is why I spend each day in Congress working with my colleagues to fix our economy. I am working to renew the American dream. Unfortunately. there are many obstacles in the way. Some Members of the other body have played games with efforts to extend unemployment benefits. Others are more concerned about retaining corporate tax giveaways than they are in working to find solutions that would help us pay for job creation efforts. job creation efforts that would help families while helping to restore Federal revenues. Regardless of the obstacles we face. no matter how bitter our fights. nothing we experience in Congress will ever compare to the challenge of supporting a family without a job. That is why to my neighbors back home in southern California. I pledge to redouble my efforts. to keep fighting the good fight. to work tirelessly to bring back jobs and get America back on track. And to make sure the light at the end of the tunnel really is a ray of hope for a brighter tomorrow.