Unemployment rate still at 9.1 percent; Roskam statement



The nationwide unemployment rate remains at 9.1 percent. There were 103,000 jobs added in September, although nearly half of that number includes Verizon workers returning from a strike. As you'll read below, the Obama administration said that the unemployment rate would not exceed 8 percent if the stimulus bill was enacted. And now the White House wants a second stimulus.

Not a good idea.

Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL), the House Chief Deputy Whip issued a statement about the grim number:

This is yet another disappointing example that the White House's policies need to change direction. It's been over two and a half years since the stimulus first passed, yet trillions in debt later, unemployment is 9.1% – well above the 8% peak promised by this Administration.

Republicans stand ready and willing to work with Democrats on commonsense solutions that remove barriers to private-sector job creation. We've recently passed numerous bills reforming excessive Washington-imposed regulatory practices that would kill jobs -- though the Senate has yet to act on these job-saving measures or any of the dozen job-creating bills we've passed this year.

It is a positive step forward that the White House sent the long-stalled pro-export trade agreements to Congress. I urge them to work with us on places where we agree, like the trade agreements, and eschew the tired playbook of proposing increasing taxes, regulatory madness, and more "stimulus."

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