Washington, DC -- As more Americans left the job hunt in July, the national jobless rate remained at 9.5%. 

"The economy is headed the wrong direction, with growth dropping by half since the beginning of the year. That’s not good news for struggling American families out of work, " said U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), the top House Republican on the Joint Economic Committee. "At what point will President Obama rethink his failed economic policies that have lowered consumer confidence and frightened job creators? At what point will Congressional Democrats stop bailing out government workers and start helping average Americans on Main Street?“

The U.S. lost 131,000 jobs last month as the Census Bureau shed 143,000 temporary workers. The private sector gained 71,000 jobs – leaving the Obama Administration 7.3 million jobs short of their job-growth prediction prior to passage of the stimulus more than eighteen months ago.

"This report is more bad news for Americans out of work and the families they are desperately trying to support," added Brady. "It’s such a disconnect for the White House to be celebrating its ‘summer of recovery’ when fifteen million Americans remain out of work and many have simply given up looking.”

The White House has sent the President and Vice President on the road for their "Summer of Recovery" Tour aimed at selling Americans on the benefits of their failed stimulus and bailout program. In sharp contrast, the economic news over the past few months has been focused on the slowdown in economic growth. "Failed government spending programs are costing the American people the recovery they deserve," said Brady. "Today's unemployment report is only likely to further heighten fears that the economic situation will only get worse in the final months of this year."

"Our small businesses and families know that trillions in deficit spending has not helped their bottom lines and they are practically begging this Congress and White House to stop spending," concluded Brady. "They just want to know when Washington will finally get out of the way and let the economy truly start healing."