Washington, D.C. – As the U.S. House of Representatives prepares to approve legislation to prevent additional state and local layoffs, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released a report today analyzing trends in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment data from 2010 and finds that state and local job losses have accelerated over the past three months with K-12 educators bearing the brunt of those job cuts.

The JEC report, prepared by the Majority Staff, finds that since the start of the 2010, 169,000 state and local workers have been laid off.  Those layoffs have accelerated over the three most recent months with 102,000 workers losing their jobs in May, June or July. (See Figure 1 in report.)  The JEC analysis also finds that nearly half of these recent job losses, 45%, have been concentrated in education services, namely K-12 teachers. (See Figure 2 in report.)

The Chair of the JEC, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), said, “In analyzing the BLS employment data for 2010, we find a disturbing trend of accelerating job losses for those who are the backbone of our communities---teachers, firefighters and police. Unless Congress acts, thousands of educators, and in particular K-12 teachers, are going to lose their jobs.  With the start of the new school year just a few weeks away, the House is acting in the nick of time.  We cannot let the effects of this recession hamper our children's education and endanger our communities.”

The JEC report includes an appendix which estimates how each state will fare under the Education Jobs and Medicaid Act in terms of teachers' jobs saved and additional Medicaid dollars to cover health care for vulnerable residents.

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