Press Releases

U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor released employment data for May:

“News that the unemployment rate ticked back up to 8.2 percent is nothing short of devastating for millions of Americans desperate for jobs. The economy is losing steam and much of the blame lies in the Obama administration’s dismal policies. Week after week, employers struggle with threats of tax hikes and more red tape. Fear and anxiety about what’s coming down the pike next has made it virtually impossible for job creators to invest in their businesses and hire new workers. 

“To help give our nation’s employers the relief they need, House Republicans crafted a Plan for America’s Job Creators to remove barriers to growth and help foster an environment conducive to hiring. Republican leaders on the House Education and the Workforce Committee are also committed to fighting on behalf of the nearly 13 million Americans who are searching for work – advancing commonsense reforms that will provide new opportunities for workers to gain the training and education they need to fill high-demand jobs.

“The Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 will help the nation close the skills gap, streamline federal workforce development services, and eliminate arbitrary roadblocks that prevent workers from learning the skills employers need. The fiscally responsible reforms included in our proposal are long overdue and urgently needed. I call on my colleagues to join our efforts to move this proposal swiftly through the legislative process and to the president’s desk.”

To learn more about the Workforce Investment Improvement Act of 2012 (H.R. 4297), click here.

# # #