Today in Washington, the Department of Labor released its jobs report for the month of November, stating that our unemployment rate is at 7.7%.  While any decrease in the unemployment rate is welcomed news, this report serves as a reminder that far too many Americans are looking for work or have simply stopped trying.  That is why it is critical that any plan before Congress to avert the looming fiscal cliff prioritizes job creation.  

This week, House Republican leaders presented a bold offer to avoid the fiscal cliff to the White House. The plan is a responsible, balanced approach of bringing in new revenue from tax reform and significant spending cuts – an approach that begins to address the drivers of our debt.   

Instead of a balanced approach, the President insists on job-restraining tax increases that will not solve our nation’s debt crisis and that will cause our economy to lose a projected 710,000 jobs. During this time of continued economic uncertainty and high unemployment, I will continue to stand up for small businesses by supporting pro-growth policies that encourage growth and job creation.

To read the full letter from House Republican leaders to the White House, click here: http://www.speaker.gov/sites/speaker.house.gov/files/documents/letter_to_wh_121203.pdf.

As the father of a young man with Down syndrome, I understand firsthand the importance of programs like this internship that provide educational and enrichment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.  For the fall semester, I was delighted to welcome Ryan Gutkowski to be a part of “Team Sessions,” and am grateful for all of his hard work to help our office run smoothly.

As you may know, the Meadows Foundation was established in 1948 by Dallas philanthropists Algur H. And Viriginia S. Meadows and provides funds for a range of charitable programs designed to improve the quality and circumstances of life for Texans. Founded in 1982, the American Institute for Cancer Research is a holistic cancer research institute that studies the effect of diet on cancer and cancer prevention. To learn more about these organizations, visit http://www.mfi.org/ and http://www.aicr.org/. 

In the coming year, as always, I look forward to working with all of the Dallas City Council on our shared goal of making the City of Dallas a better place to work and live.  For more information on the Dallas City Council, visit http://www.dallascityhall.com/.