Press Releases

Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) May 2022 jobs report:

“May brought another month of impressive job growth, coupled with rising wages and historically low unemployment claims. This is the strongest, most resilient economic recovery in modern history, and it is because President Biden and congressional Democrats took decisive, immediate action to protect workers and prevent a deep recession. We’ve defied expectations month after month, and there’s no slowing down.

“Our economy is already reaping the benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with employment in the construction and manufacturing sectors surging above pre-pandemic levels. As our work on the conference committee on economic competitiveness legislation continues, we will supercharge these investments by better supporting American workers, making more goods domestically, and shoring up our supply chains.

“Even though the workforce participation rate for women ticked up last month, it still remains lower than pre-pandemic levels. The Ways and Means Committee has repeatedly heard from women and people of color about the barriers that obstruct their return to the workforce. It’s basic workplace supports that recognize they have responsibilities outside of work. They need paid family and medical leave and accessible child care, and we hear their cries. Unlocking the full potential of our economy will only happen when we break down these barriers, and I invite congressional Republicans to stop blocking our efforts.

“The Ways and Means Committee is laser-focused on bringing down costs, growing the workforce, and ultimately, building the economy that workers and their families deserve.”

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