Also looking to help benefit the U.S. economy is U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), who released a report suggesting reduced wait times at ports of entry (POEs) in the United States. As ranking member of the Senate Joint Economic Committee, Heinrich released Economic Impact of Understaffing U.S. Ports of Entry, the April minority staff report suggesting that additional staff could help decrease the “long and unpredictable border wait times” that happen as trade and travelers move through U.S. POEs.

Joint Economic Committee Democrats today released the “March Economic Snapshot of the States,” which tracks state economic performance, families’ economic security, how well states are preparing for economic future with investments in people’s health and learning, and the costs of living that weigh on working families’ minds.

Building a wall and making hardworking American families foot the bill through tariffs or trade wars is simply not a viable policy and doesn’t reflect the security needs of our border communities or our economy. Instead of throwing taxpayers’ money at President Trump’s border wall, we should make smart investments to improve infrastructure on the border with the goal of enhancing security, improving transportation safety for local families commuting around the region and facilitating new lawful trade through New Mexico’s ports of entry.

The top Democrat on the committee, Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, ignored the new jobless rate and focused instead on the disappointing payroll gain. “Today’s jobs numbers show there are still challenges ahead that this administration must address,” Mr. Heinrich said. “President Trump promised that he would be ‘the greatest jobs producer that God ever created.’ Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee will hold him to this promise.”