WASHINGTON January 19
House Republican Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) today said the Department of Labor’s announcement that first-time unemployment claims dropped to their lowest point since 2000 is more evidence that Republican economic policies are working.

“Today’s announcement is yet another indicator that our economy is thriving,” Pryce said. “Republican policies continue to foster strong economic growth. In the upcoming session of Congress, we will build on our successful economic record and continue to promote pro-growth policies to keep our economy flourishing.”

Today, the Department of Labor announced that initial jobless claims for the week ending Jan. 14 dropped by 36,000 from the previous week. Other indicators of economic vitality include:

-- The unemployment rate is 4.9 percent – lower than the average of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

-- GDP grew at 4.1 percent in the third quarter, the tenth straight quarter in which GDP growth has exceeded 3 percent.

-- The economy gained 108,000 new jobs in December and has gained more than 400,000 jobs in the past two months.

-- The economy has gained more than 4.6 million new jobs since May 2003.

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