U.S. Senator Kay Hagan released the following statement today on the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Labor and Economic Analysis Division report that the state's unemployment rate fell to 9.1 percent in November, down from 9.3 percent in October:
"While any drop in the unemployment rate is progress, far too many North Carolinians remain out of work. We have much more work to do to grow our economy and put folks back on the job, and that will remain my top priority as we head into the new year.
"I continue to urge a bipartisan solution that will avert sequestration and the fiscal cliff. If we don't act, the average middle class family will see their taxes increase by $2,200. That's unacceptable. On top of that, the consequences of sequestration are amplified in our state given our large military footprint and the economic importance of the defense industry to our local economies. I hope my colleagues will join me to enact a balanced deficit reduction plan that promotes economic growth and national security."