Barbara Lee: With Unemployment Rate Still High, We Must Reject Drastic Republican Cuts to Programs That Help the Most Vulnerable and Needy Populations

Statement

Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) released the following statement this morning in reaction to the May jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

"While the overall economy may be showing signs of improvement, too many people are unable to find work and millions are still feeling a great deal of pain. Clearly there is still much work to do to ensure that our economic recovery is felt in every community. The national unemployment rate rose to 9.1%. That number rises to 16.2% in the African-American community and 11.9% in the Hispanic community, both increases from last month. And among teenagers, the unemployment rate is at 24%.

"This reality underscores the importance of the message that we relayed to the President yesterday at our White House meeting. We outlined to the President that we cannot accept a budget that penalizes the most vulnerable and needy populations with drastic cuts to important programs like WIC, food stamps, and job training. Republicans have yet to create a single job in the 5 months since they've taken control of the House, yet they want to cut these programs that assist the most vulnerable. And they won't even allow for a vote on the "99ers' bill that I introduced with Congressman Bobby Scott to provide emergency aid for those who have exhausted their 99 weeks of unemployment benefits.

"The extreme Republican agenda of paying for tax cuts for millionaires and subsidies for oil companies on the backs of the low-income and the poor is hurting millions of people in a very real way. This jobs report should serve as a stark reminder that Republicans need to work with us and get serious about creating jobs, fostering new economic opportunities and providing pathways out of poverty."

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