Washington, D.C.—Today, Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 206,000 in June and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.1%. The unemployment rate was 6.3% for Black workers, 4.9% for Hispanic workers, 4.1% for Asian workers, 3.5% for white workers, and 7.3% (not seasonally adjusted) for American Indian and Alaska Native workers.
“The 41 consecutive months of job growth we’ve seen are delivering a strong, stable economy that families across the country can benefit from. In nearly every state, wages have outpaced inflation since 2021. We are on the right track, especially as we continue the work of further lowering costs.
“We’ve now added close to 16 million jobs since President Biden took office. It’s clear that Democratic policies are working to provide good-paying jobs and put money back in the pockets of the American people.”
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About Chairman Martin Heinrich
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich has served the people of New Mexico in the United States Senate since 2012. In addition to his role as Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, Heinrich also serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and as a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Heinrich served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, four years as an Albuquerque City Councilor, as New Mexico’s Natural Resources Trustee, and in AmeriCorps with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
About the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee
The U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee is Congress’s bicameral economic think tank. It was created when Congress passed the Employment Act of 1946. Under this Act, Congress established two advisory panels: the President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and the JEC. Their primary tasks are to review economic conditions and to recommend improvements in economic policy. Chairmanship of the JEC alternates between the Senate and House every Congress.
