Higher Wages, Lower Unemployment Underscore Workforce Accomplishments of

109th Congress, Says McKeon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the latest U.S. Labor Department employment report showing the nation’s unemployment rate dropping to 4.6 percent, U.S. House Workforce Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA) today highlighted the House Republican agenda to continue the nation’s economic momentum. 

The Labor Department report also showed that average hourly wages have increased by four percent over the past 12 months.  And with 51,000 jobs added in September and nearly 240,000 in the last two months combined, the total number of jobs added to the U.S. economy since August 2003 now tops 5.8 million.

            “Gas prices are down, unemployment has dropped to historical lows, new jobs are added each month, and House Republicans still remain proactive when it comes to pursuing reforms on behalf of American workers and their families,” noted McKeon.  “As the U.S. economy enters its fourth consecutive year of uninterrupted job growth, House Republicans have a proven record and a bold agenda to keep the momentum going.  From retirement security and college access to affordable health care and better job training, the 109th Congress has been marked by legislation crafted to build on the steady growth of the U.S. economy.”

McKeon highlighted a handful of workforce reforms passed by the House during the 109^th Congress.  These reforms include:

• Fixing Outdated Pension Laws.  On July 28, 2006, the House passed the Pension Protection Act (H.R. 4), which includes tough new funding requirements to ensure employers adequately and consistently fund their pension plans, encourages greater retirement savings and personal control over those savings, and extends highly-popular “529” college savings plans.  President Bush has signed the bill into law.

• Expanding College Access.  On March 30, 2006, the House passed the College Access & Opportunity Act (H.R. 609), which would expand college access by strengthening the Pell Grant program, provide parents and students with more information about spikes in college costs, and bolster math and science education to enhance American competitiveness.  Less than two months earlier, on February 1, 2006, the House passed the Deficit Reduction Act (S. 1932), which established new grant aid to reward low-income, high achieving college students in their first and second years, as well as low-income, high achieving students pursuing degrees in math, science, and critical foreign languages in their third and fourth years.  The President has signed this bill into law.

• Expanding Access to Affordable Health Care.  On July 26, 2005, the House passed the Small Business Health Fairness Act (H.R. 525), which would create association health plans to allow small businesses to band together through associations and purchase quality health care for workers and their families at a lower cost.

• Strengthening Job Training Programs.  On March 2, 2005, the House passed the Job Training Improvement Act (H.R. 27), which would streamline job training programs to help job seekers take advantage of new opportunities in America’s growing and changing economy.

Further information on Republican efforts on behalf of American workers is available online at http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/109th/workforce/wia/wia.htm.

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