U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) said that it is “unsettling” that a jobs report released on Friday shows a decline in the rate of job creation from the first quarter to the second.
The jobs report, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, found that the economy added 287,000 non-farm payroll jobs during the month of May, bringing the unemployment rate to 4.9 percent, while the labor force participation rate settled at 62.7 percent.
Tiberi, the vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, said that President Barack Obama’s economic policies “aren’t producing the kind of growth we need to reach our full potential.”
The Tax Reform Blueprint released by U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), the chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) would spur economic growth, Tiberi added.
Brady said that although 287,000 jobs were created in the month, the average pace of job creation for the year – 172,000 jobs created per month – was well below the last two years’ average.
“That’s why House Republicans introduced our Blueprint to deliver a tax code built for growth – the growth of jobs, paychecks, and opportunities,” Brady said. “According to the Tax Foundation, our blueprint will grow the U.S. economy by 9.1 percent, create 1.7 million new jobs, and significantly raise Americans’ wages. That’s the kind of growth workers and their families need and deserve. That’s the kind of growth that will ensure America remains the strongest economy on Earth.”
U.S. Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said that the report contained “good news” but that there was still a long way to go before every worker has a good-paying job.
“As I’ve said before, we need to do better,” Kline said. “It starts by rejecting flawed regulations that will stifle small businesses, make it harder for people to save for retirement, and limit opportunities for men and women to advance up the economic ladder. It’s also going to take responsible, pro-growth solutions. Just (Thursday), members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce unanimously passed legislation that will help more Americans gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the 21st century workforce. It’s an important step, and this is exactly the kind of leadership the American people need from Washington.”