Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, commented on today’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report showing that only 113,000 nonfarm payroll jobs and 142,000 private payroll jobs were added in January, while the unemployment rate slipped by a statistically insignificant 0.1 percentage point to 6.6%:

“The economy is plodding along, neither encouraging nor terribly disappointing—unless you're looking for a job as millions of Americans are. As long as the President 'stays the course' we can expect more of the same."

"What's been tried the last five years simply isn't working. More Fed stimulus, tax increases, red tape, bailouts and a new health care law that hamstrings local business simply isn't working. It's time to change course with pro-growth policies like tax reform, tougher scrutiny on new red-tape before its imposed on the economy, and a delay of key Affordable Care Act mandates. As a first step, the President should show he's serious about the economy by approving construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline."