Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement regarding the May employment data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics today. Hiring for short-term Census work accounted for 411,000 new jobs in May, while the economy as a whole gained 431,000 jobs. The unemployment rate was 9.7 percent last month.

“The Obama administration seems to have plenty of jobs to offer to Democrat primary challengers,” said Congressman Price. “It’s too bad most of the 15 million unemployed Americans aren’t eligible. With the number of potential workers increasing every day, new job opportunities can’t come quickly enough. Unemployment has been well over 9 percent for an entire year now, and in April long-term unemployment reached its highest level in 60 years. Clearly, these problems are not going to be solved with handouts to political cronies or temporary Census jobs that will disappear again in a few months.

“Every new job is a boon to whoever is lucky enough to get it, but the Democrats’ policy agenda continues to scare away the robust private sector growth we need to seriously tackle unemployment. Washington needs a course change away from the $13 trillion debt, government takeovers, bailouts, and job-killing National Energy Tax. Backed by Republicans’ common sense, pro-growth policies, entrepreneurs and small businesses can bring jobs and the economy roaring back to health.”