Oakland, CA – Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) today lambasted the Bush Administration for failing yet again to provide enough jobs for Americans. After today’s release of the July employment numbers, economists criticized the Bush Administration for producing only 32,000 new jobs even though a minimum of 200,000 jobs had been expected.  In addition, the weak employment increases for May and June were revised downward by a total of 61,000 jobs.

Especially hard hit were African Americans and Latinos, whose unemployment numbers continue to be far above the national average of 5.5%.  The unemployment rate for Latinos rose from 6.7% to 6.8%, while the rate for African Americans shot up from 10.1% to 10.9%.

Since President Bush’s inauguration in January 2001, the American economy has lost more than 1 million jobs, and Bush stands to become the first President since Depression-era President Herbert Hoover to lose jobs during his administration.

“These numbers are proof once more that this Administration is not able to provide real job growth for Americans,” said Lee.  “We have heard promise after promise from the President that jobs are on the way, but with every monthly report, we learn that the President’s economic policies are hurting people, not helping them.”

 

                                    

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