Van Hollen Statement on the July Jobs Report

Statement

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Assistant to the Speaker, issued the following statement on the July jobs report from the Department of Labor, which showed that the private sector added 71,000 jobs:

"Today's jobs report shows that we continue to make important strides in job creation in the private sector -- adding 71,000 jobs to the economy -- but we still have a long way to go before our economy is out of the ditch. Eight years of irresponsible policies left President Obama with an economy that was hemorrhaging 700,000 jobs a month when he took office. But Democrats are committed to rebuilding our economy -- starting with the Recovery Act, continuing with support for small businesses and American families, and moving forward with the Make it in America agenda that will create jobs here at home.

"This morning I spoke with teachers and police officers across the country about the need to pass emergency assistance to states and localities, which the Senate has passed and the House will vote on next week. This critical legislation will save hundreds of thousands of jobs, ensuring that our children have teachers and our streets are kept safe -- jobs that Republican Leader John Boehner disparagingly considers "special interests.'

"Democrats are committed to supporting small businesses, creating jobs, and keeping our teachers in schools and cops on the beat. It's unfortunate that Washington Republicans continue to stand in the way of our job creation agenda, instead siding with corporate special interests, who want to outsource American jobs and return to the economic policies that created the Bush Recession in the first place."

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