WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement in response to June employment figures released today by Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry, which showed an increase in the unemployment rate from 7.4 to 7.6 percent and the loss of 2,600 nonfarm jobs.
“Today’s increase in the unemployment rate for Pennsylvania, from 7.4 percent in May to 7.6 percent in June 2011, is a sign that more needs to be done to create jobs and revitalize the economy. Nearly 480,000 Pennsylvanians remain unemployed. Policies, like my small business job creation tax credit, must be implemented to boost employment and unfair trade practices that continue to send Pennsylvania jobs overseas must be targeted.
“Still, there are some bright spots in the Pennsylvania economy. The goods-producing industries -- Mining and Logging, Construction, and Manufacturing -- added 3,100 jobs in June after three consecutive months of job losses. Good-paying manufacturing jobs are the key to a strong middle class. We need to make sure that we are doing everything possible to revitalize manufacturing in our country. This is why, as Chairman of the JEC, I have focused on the need for a national manufacturing strategy that provides much needed support and training focused on how best to help America's workforce build the skills they will need for new, emerging jobs in manufacturing.
“Today’s jobs report makes it clear that Washington needs to focus on policies that will put more Americans back to work.”
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