Washington, DC -- Just days after House Democratic leaders touted their new report, titled Understanding the Economy: Promising Signs of Recovery in Manufacturing, which claims credit for creating 136,000 manufacturing jobs since January, House GOP leaders unveiled economic data from the administration that contradicts the claim - and shows manufacturing jobs in the U.S. have cratered since the controversial $862 billion stimulus package was passed at the urging of President Obama. 

"Since the failed stimulus was passed 707,000 manufacturing jobs in America have disappeared," said U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), the top House Republican on the Joint Economic Committee. "It's been even harder on manufacturing workers since Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House - 2.3 million manufacturing jobs have been lost. With so many families struggling, how can Washington Democrats possibly be proud of these devastating economic failures?" 

“With the American people asking, ‘where are the jobs’ and Washington Democrats trying out new talking points on manufacturing, it’s worth looking at their record – and that record is abysmal: more than 700,000 manufacturing jobs have been destroyed in America since the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ became law," said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio). "The Washington spending spree President Obama has set in motion isn’t helping our economy; it’s hurting our economy.  Now, Washington Democrats refuse to rule out passing even more job-killing policies – like a national energy tax, or a ‘card check’ for union bosses – in a ‘sour grapes’ lame duck session following the election.”

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the net loss of manufacturing jobs since the stimulus became law in February of last year totals 571,000.  Even the small growth in manufacturing jobs since January isn't the result of the stimulus. Economists credit inventory restocking and exports to other countries as the main reason for improved signs in the manufacturing sector.

"Washington Democrats promised that massive government borrowing-and-spending would spur consumer spending in the U.S. That hasn't happened. Ironically it is sales abroad that are helping revive America's flagging manufacturing sector. That must be especially embarrassing for Washington Democrats since they refuse to pursue trade agreements that open dynamic new markets for American products and services throughout the globe," says Brady.