Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) issued the following statement after the December jobs report showed better than expected job creation, with the overall amount of jobs created at 200,000.  The unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent, the lowest it has been in three years.

Rep. Engel also called for passage of jobs legislation to boost the economy and get more Americans back to work.  The latest report, combined with the revised September report showing over 200,000 jobs created, followed by two months which combined for another 200,000, means more than 600,000 new jobs created in the last four months.  In all, the American economy has added over 1.6 million jobs in 2011, the most in five years.

Rep. Engel said, “The recent trend towards job growth stands in stark contrast to the near-depression numbers of the Bush Administration.  The economy seems poised to continue moving in the right direction, and it would extremely helpful if Congress could give it a hand with a jobs bill.   We need to use the recent job growth as a springboard to a stronger economy.  The House Republican Majority refuses to work with Democrats, or the President, on legislation to help create jobs. Instead it is fixated on an ideological agenda not on helping middle and lower income families. 

“Too many Americans are out of work, but at least the trend is moving in the right direction.  Hopefully, we can continue this momentum into 2012.  It could have been even better if not for such unavoidable obstacles such as the Japan earthquake and European financial crisis, and avoidable ones such as the debt ceiling debacle and credit downgrade.  The fact that we are here at the end of the year talking about real gains in job growth is satisfying. 

“There is still much to be done, and it would be very helpful if Congressional Republicans would work with Democrats and the White House to boost job creation through a bipartisan jobs bill.  Unfortunately, they show little indication they care to do so.”

ATTACHED – White House provided chart showing private payroll job loss and growth over the last four years.

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