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Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the families who are still struggling to make ends meet.
Our economy has made great strides since the end of the recession. Like my colleagues, I have watched the unemployment rate tick down each month from 10 percent in 2009 to 5 percent today.
According to the story that these numbers tell, our economy has recovered. But for nearly 8 million Americans still looking for work, our economy is still in a state of crisis.
In my home district, more than 16 percent live in poverty, and the unemployment rate is three times the national rate, at 15 percent. I have met hundreds of these unemployed constituents at my annual job fair. They aren't looking for a handout; they are looking for a hand up, an opportunity to work, a chance to live a better life, a shot at the American Dream.
As we enter the second half of 2016, I urge my colleagues to stand with me and take action to expand economic opportunities and to ensure that all Americans who want to work have the chance to do so.
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