The Congressional Black Caucus continues to speak truth to ensure the economic recovery is fair, equitable and sustainable.
Members took to the House Floor last night for a Special Order Hour to discuss the CBC’s jobs agenda and efforts to address chronic unemployment.
Some CBC members are co-sponsors of the“Local Jobs for America Act,” introduced by Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller. The Act would create or save one million jobs.
CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee said in a statement:
While state and local governments are laying people off in order to balance their budgets it is essential for Congress to create public and private sector jobs in communities across America.
Chairman Miller’s Local Jobs for America Act is a critically important piece of legislation that directly addresses the needs of working men and women struggling to meet the needs of their families.
While the national unemployment rate is now below 10 percent, unemployment among African Americans is at 15.8 percent and Latinos at 12.4 percent. These figures illustrate that our economic recovery has been uneven and many communities continue to suffer disproportionately.
The Local Jobs for America Act is one piece of a multifaceted approach to stimulate the economy, create jobs and respond to the needs of the chronically unemployed and underemployed, as well as populations who are living below the poverty line.
The CBC will hold a public hearing, “Out of Work but Not Out of Hope: Addressing the Crisis of the Chronically Unemployed.” The hearing will examine policy solutions that address the needs of the chronically unemployed and minority-owned business empowerment.
The hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 17, from 9:00am to 11:00am in Room 2237, Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill.
