[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 19, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H2595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1915
                      PROMISING ECONOMIC RECOVERY

  (Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. BICE of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight 
Oklahoma's efforts to bolster its economy and get its citizens back to 
work.
  There is no doubt the pandemic caused not only illness, but major 
interruption in our daily lives. Millions became jobless through no 
fault of their own and had to rely on additional Federal unemployment 
assistance to survive.
  But today the situation has changed, Mr. Speaker. We have a 
rebounding economy and over 158 million Americans have received at 
least one vaccine dose. With more than 8 million job openings 
nationwide, the time has come to encourage Americans to get back to 
work.
  The continued expansion of Federal assistance is hampering this 
promising economic recovery across the country and in my home State of 
Oklahoma.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say Oklahoma is leading the country's 
economic recovery by providing $1,200 signing bonuses beginning in 
June, for individuals who go back to work and stay employed for six 
continuous weeks. There are over 68,000 job postings in Oklahoma 
currently, with 7,500 in Oklahoma City alone. These are good-paying 
jobs across a variety of industries, including the energy and 
manufacturing sectors. Hundreds of employers are offering competitive 
wages and generous benefits.

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