Unemployment down to 8.3 percent; Roskam statement

For the fifth straight month, the national unemployment rate is down--to 8.3 percent. It's the 36th straight month this figure has been above 8 percent. The White House promised that the jobless rate would not exceed that level when it was hawking its stimulus.

Deputy House Whip Peter Roskam (R-IL), issued a statement about this news:

It's encouraging to see more Americans employed and unemployment dropping, but the Obama economy is simply not working for the millions still out of work. Unemployment is still above 8 percent effectively three years after the "stimulus" passed. Yet even still, the administration's putting their political agenda ahead of American jobs. Just last month President Obama unilaterally blocked the creation of 20,000 private-sector American jobs when he rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline expansion. This comes in addition to the Senate blocking 29 House-passed jobs bills that would help our economy. It's time for the administration and Senate Democrats to change direction and finally embrace bipartisan job-creating solutions - a win for Americans.

UPDATE 11:15am: Rep. Don Manuzullo (R-IL) also has comments about the new jobless figures.

It's wonderful to see some people returning to work, but we need to do much more to strengthen our economy and help employers create even more jobs. While 243,000 Americans returned to work, the long-term unemployed – those without jobs for more than 6 months – remained essentially unchanged at 5.5 million people. There are still too many Americans who want to work but can't find a job. My American Jobs Agenda would go a long way to help our employers expand and create jobs.

Things are looking much brighter in northern Illinois. Just last week, I was able to greet the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it stopped in Rockford on its maiden tour of international airports. The production of that amazing airplane will generate $16 billion in contracts for just one Rockford company – Hamilton Sundstrand – and many more local companies will benefit through sub-contracts. In addition, we were ecstatic to learn just yesterday that Chrysler – now owned by Italy's Fiat -- plans to add 1,800 jobs by this summer at the Belvidere Assembly plant to build the exciting new 2013 Dodge Dart, the first Chrysler vehicle to incorporate Fiat architecture, similar to that used in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Things are definitely moving in the right direction, and I strongly encourage the Senate and the President to work with us and pass the nearly 30 House-passed jobs bills that are languishing without action.

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