Pete Sessions Statement on July Jobs Report

Today, I released the following statement in response to the Department of Labor’s July jobs report:

Today’s jobs report once again reinforces how Washington Democrats’ policies continue to fail to create American jobs. With only 117,000 jobs created in July, this weak report once again shows that our lagging economy is well behind creating the 200,000 to 250,000 jobs per month needed over a period of time to drive down unemployment.

Despite these dismal figures, this Administration has remained steadfast in promoting policies that impede job creation and entrepreneurship. According to one Senate analysis of the negative impact current government policies have on economic growth, in July the Obama Administration added $9.5 billion in new regulatory costs through 379 new government-imposed rules. Costly regulatory burdens and record levels of government spending are driving uncertainty in the marketplace and making it more difficult for the private sector to create new jobs. To make matters worse, President Obama continues to push for imposing job-destroying tax hikes on hardworking Americans and small businesses.

House Republicans remain focused on reversing Democrats’ failed policies and reducing the size of government so that the free enterprise system can flourish. We need to look no further than the recent downward revision of first quarter GDP to 0.4 percent and then a second quarter of only 1.3 percent to see that it is imperative to make real reforms today. I encourage Senate Democrats and President Obama to change direction and join our efforts to support pro-growth policies that will restore certainty to the economy, put the American people back to work and ensure a brighter future for the next generation of our great nation.