Pelosi: Shocking Unemployment Numbers Should Compel President Bush to End Opposition to Economic Recovery Bill

December 5, 2008

Washington, D.C.--Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement in response to Labor Department statistics showing that 533,000 jobs were lost in November--the largest one-month loss in 34 years. The unemployment rate increased to 6.7 percent and America has lost nearly 2 million jobs this year alone.

"Today's shocking unemployment numbers - combined with skyrocketing requests for food assistance - should compel President Bush and Senate Republicans to end their opposition to the emergency economic recovery bill that has been stalled in the Senate.

"This bill, which passed the House more than two months ago, will immediately create jobs, provide emergency food assistance to families, and prevent the loss of health care coverage due to state budget cuts. There is no excuse for continued inaction on the part of President Bush and Senate Republicans when Americans are facing the worst economic crisis in a generation.

"Our economy cannot wait for a new President, a new Congress, or a new year to provide assistance to millions of Americans who have been ignored by the White House as the economy has steadily worsened.

"There is no need to wait -- the Senate is back in session next week, and job one should be approving our economic recovery bill. The President should sign it so we can start to revive the economy and help the American people."