Pelosi Statement on April Jobs Report

Washington, DC - Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement after the Department of Labor announced that the economy added 244,000 jobs in April - including the largest rise in private sector employment since February 2006:

'Today's jobs report is a sign our economy continues to move in the right direction, with more Americans going back to work. But we must do more.  This is the time to invest in our future and America's middle class to bring down unemployment and spur our economic growth.

'The American people have made it clear that job creation is their top priority.  Republicans have not offered a single jobs bill or rolled out a jobs agenda for 120 days. In fact, their actions have actually risked jobs.

'Instead of acting to put people to work, Republicans have voted to end Medicare as we know it in order to give tax breaks to Big Oil, millionaires, and corporations that ship jobs overseas.  It's time to work together to create jobs, while responsibly reducing the deficit, strengthening the middle class, and growing the economy.'

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Background:

• With 268,000 private sector jobs created this month, there have been 14 months of private sector job gains totaling more than 2 million American jobs.
• The 244,000 total jobs added this month is the largest in nearly a year, with broad-based gains in retail trade, manufacturing, health care, leisure and hospitality, and professional and business services .
• Manufacturing has added a quarter of a million jobs since the end of 2009.