Pelosi Statement on September Jobs Report

"Six years ago, our nation was confronted with the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression.  Under the leadership of President Obama, Democrats acted to avert an even greater crisis, and enacted policies that put our nation back on a path to create jobs and renew opportunity for all Americans, not just the privileged few.

"September's jobs report represents another strong step in the right direction, continuing the longest uninterrupted streak of private sector job creation in our nation's history: 55 months with more than 10 million new jobs.  In the first year of President Obama's presidency, unemployment reached 10 percent – now the unemployment rate is at a six-year low.

"For all our progress, it is clear that we still have much work to do.  Too many Americans are still jobless, and too many hard working families are barely making ends meet.  Yet with many middle class families still struggling, Republicans have spent their entire time in the majority on the same special interest-first agenda that created the catastrophe in the first place.  Their utter disregard for the lives and livelihoods of the American people was on full display this week last year, when Republicans chose to shut down the government of the United States for 16 days, costing our economy $24 billion and 120,000 urgently needed jobs.

"The American people have had enough of Republicans stacking the deck for the wealthy and well connected.  It is time to jumpstart the middle class, create jobs and build an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few."