The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“ADDRESSING EMPLOYMENT CRISIS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5418 on Sept. 9, 2013.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ADDRESSING EMPLOYMENT CRISIS
(Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the Department of Labor released figures suggesting that unemployment decreased to 7.3 percent in August, the lowest rate in over 4\1/2\ years.
While seemingly good news, if you actually look below the surface, labor force participation fell to its lowest level in 35 years, with only 63.2 percent of working-age Americans being employed. While the unemployment rate declined, it can be attributed to a growing share of individuals giving up on trying to find a job.
Mr. Speaker, it's not that American workers are lazy or reliant upon handouts. Over 12 million Americans are struggling to make ends meet, with tens of millions more struggling with underemployment.
The solution to our national employment crisis is straightforward: we must get a handle on out-of-control debt, a cumbersome and out-of-date Tax Code, and limit bloated regulations.
As we continue our work here in the House, I encourage all of my colleagues to focus their work on breaking down these barriers to employment. Our constituents deserve as much.
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