[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 93 (Tuesday, July 12, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H5646]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
DISCOURAGING JOB NUMBERS
(Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute.)
Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, last Friday we got another employment
report showing that American workers are losing out. Payroll employment
growth was disappointing once again. Only 146,000 jobs were added in
June, when market forecasters were expecting between 175,000 and
200,000.
Though the unemployment rate edged down, it was not because people
are reentering the labor force. There still seems to be a great deal of
hidden unemployment. Compared to the start of the recession in early
2001, participation in the labor force now is actually 1.2 percent
lower.
A smaller proportion of the working age population has a job now
compared to then. Worst of all, inflation is still outpacing wages, and
the distribution of earnings is increasingly imbalanced.
The signs are clear, workers are being shortchanged in this economic
recovery, but this administration is standing idly by.
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