Blumenauer Statement on March Jobs Report

Statement

Today, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), a member of the House Budget and Ways and Means Committees, issued the following statement in response to reports that employers added 216,000 net jobs in March:

"Far too many Americans remain out of work. Yet today's strong jobs numbers, coupled with the upward revision of previous reports, are a welcome sign that our economic recovery is picking up steam. Today's recovery is being built in no small part on the foundation laid by job creation measures passed during the last Congress. Yet the future of this recovery is largely dependent on whether or not Congress can make responsible choices about our budget.

"Tea Party Republicans are offering a false choice between draconian budget cuts and government shutdown, both of which will destroy jobs and threaten our recovery. On the one hand, Republican demands for deep cuts to programs that support families and job creation will destroy up to 700,000 jobs if enacted, wiping out much of the progress our recovery has made. On the other hand, the government shutdown that is being threatened as an alternative would bring hiring, consumer spending and business lending to a grinding halt as confidence in our government and our economy falters.

"It does not have to be this hard. Responsible cuts to wasteful programs that do not create jobs, like subsidies for big oil and agribusiness, can bring down our budget deficit in a way that does not undermine our recovery. Once the recovery has become robust and self-sustaining, only then is it economically sound to consider reducing government support for programs that support hiring and those who are out of work.

"I look forward to working with responsible Republicans who share our common goal of getting our economy back on track and hardworking Americans back on the job."

Source