[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 26, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BUSINESS ECONOMIC HISTORY THAT MIGHT MAKE PINOCCHIO BLUSH
(Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia asked and was given permission to address
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we heard some
business economic history that might make even Pinocchio blush.
Our friends on the other side of the aisle sometimes want the public
to forget we inherited an economy in free fall last January. GDP had
plummeted 5.4 percent and 741,000 Americans lost their jobs that month.
This Congress took decisive action to halt that downward spiral known
as the Great Recession.
Those efforts are yielding results today, fostering 290,000 jobs last
month, 600,000 jobs so far this year, on a track to create more jobs
this year than in the previous 8 years under their rule. In my Virginia
district alone we created 4,000 jobs last month and saw the
unemployment rate drop.
The national economy has posted positive growth in each of the last
three-quarters, jumping 5.6 percent alone in the first quarter. Mr.
Speaker, our Republican colleagues continue to advocate for the
bankrupt policies that previously drove our Nation into the economic
ditch. We have chosen a new path, and it's those actions and
investments that are putting Americans back to work today.
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