[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16554]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       2015 JOBS FAIR AND ECONOMY

  (Ms. KELLY of Illinois asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I recently hosted my third annual 
hiring event where 500 applicants connected with more than 70 employers 
looking to fill positions.
  I was delighted to see Ramona Young and Sommatra Jackson at the 
event, two women hired at my first event in 2013. They were back this 
year representing the company that hired them.
  Their success continues to motivate me. For every Ramona and 
Sommatra, there are hundreds of Americans looking for good-paying jobs 
that allow them to build toward a future.
  So today I rise on behalf of those American workers still looking for 
good-paying jobs.
  We all know the statistics. Our economy is growing. After 67 months 
of consecutive job growth, our unemployment rate stands at 5.1 percent 
for the first time since 2008, but the fact is there are nearly 8 
million Americans still searching.
  The people I met at my hiring event were talented, skilled, and 
driven. They are hungry for an opportunity to work, to put their skills 
to good use, and to provide for their families.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in creating an economy that works for 
everyone.

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