JEC Ranking Democrat Maloney Statement on Jobs Report
Economy adds 295,000 nonfarm jobs in February
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), today released the following statement after the Department of Labor announced that the economy added 295,000 nonfarm jobs in February and the unemployment rate declined to 5.5 percent. February marked the 60th consecutive month of private-sector job growth, the longest streak on record.
"This was another very strong jobs report. We now have 60 straight months – or five years – of private-sector job growth. Businesses have added more than 12 million jobs during this time. While we should be building on this progress to ensure that the recovery reaches all Americans, the Republicans swerve from one distraction to the next – from trying to repeal the ACA one moment to playing politics with our national security the next. It’s time that this Congress focuses on a middle-class agenda – job creation, higher wages, stronger education and better infrastructure.
"As we prepare to celebrate International Women's Day this Sunday, we must remember that America succeeds when our women succeed. But the stark reality is that while women are nearly half the workforce, we hold just 19 percent of the board seats. And while women are breadwinners in about two-thirds of America's families, on average, we earn just 77 cents for every dollar men take home. It's long past time for Congress to address these inequities, by passing the Paycheck Fairness Act and putting in place family-friendly workplace polices – once and for all, giving women the tools they need to thrive today and for generations to come."
Maloney is the Ranking Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee for the 114th Congress.
