Van Hollen Statement on December Jobs Report

Statement

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Ranking Member on the House Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the Department of Labor's December Jobs Report, which found that the economy added 103,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate dropped to 9.4 percent:

"Today's job report marks the twelfth consecutive month of private sector job growth, and is an important reminder that the job creation policies of President Obama and House Democrats are helping to rebuild our economy and put Americans back to work. In fact, there were more jobs created in 2010 than during President Bush's entire presidency.

"Now is the time to continue our efforts to create jobs and support small businesses. Our Republican colleagues talked about jobs on the campaign trail, but the first item on their agenda is repealing the Affordable Care Act and, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, blowing a $230 billion hole in the deficit. This jobs report clearly debunks the myth that health care reform kills jobs. Not only did private sector jobs increase by 113,000, but one of the fields to see the biggest increase was health care, where jobs went up by 36,000.

"Too many Americans are still out of work and too many families are still struggling to get by. When Republicans work to create jobs, improve our economy, and put our fiscal house in order, they will find Democrats able and willing partners. But if they continue their efforts to promote an agenda that prioritizes health insurance companies and special interests over working families, we will hold them accountable."

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