Washington, DC – Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) issued the following statement after the Department of Labor released the May jobs report:

“These numbers show that employers are still worried about what is going on in Washington, and, like many Americans, they are hunkering down and bracing for what comes next.  Until we restore some semblance of confidence – and that starts with significantly cutting spending in Washington – this economy will continue to limp along.
 
“Not since the Great Depression has our unemployment rate been this high for this long, and yet the President has failed to address the issues that are making it hard for families and employers to get by.  He has not offered a plan to deal with high gas and energy prices, there’s no plan from the White House to cut spending and he has off-loaded discussions on the debt.  Worse yet, when the President does wade-in, his focus is on raising taxes – taxes that would directly hit the very investors and small businesses we need to create more jobs.  The only thing as bad for job creation as higher taxes is the threat of higher taxes.  Every time the President or someone in his Administration talks about raising taxes it becomes harder for the 14 million unemployed Americans to find a job.
 
“We can get Washington and this economy back on track.  House Republicans have offered bold solutions to deal with America’s debt and economic crisis.  We have called for a total overhaul of the tax code in order to reduce the complexities and costs that put American employers and workers at a disadvantage.  We have pushed for enactment of the long-pending trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia which would increase exports by $13 billion and create up to 250,000 jobs for American workers.  The only thing standing in the way of these job-creating policies is the President.  Given today’s jobs report, I hope it is clear to the President that we cannot allow politics to paralyze Washington.  It is time for the President to actively work with House Republicans to cut spending, get our debt under control and get America back to work.”