Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) released the following statement today after the Department of Labor released its jobs report for December:
"I am encouraged by the jobs numbers for December released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics today, which show that our economy added 168,000 private sector jobs last month. While we continue to move in the right direction, we must remain focused on taking action to support economic growth and job creation. As the 113th Congress begins, Democrats and Republicans have an opportunity to come together to build on these gains and help more Americans get back to work.
"I hope we will use these first weeks of the 113th Congress to work together on jobs legislation, including our Make It In America plan that encourages businesses to invest and create jobs here at home. We must also work together to reach a balanced solution to reduce our deficit, ending the uncertainty businesses are facing which has led them to hold back on investing in job creation. Both parties have an obligation to our constituents to put partisanship aside and put the priorities of the American people first."