Unemployment Rate Dropped To 9.7 Percent In January

The unemployment rate in January dropped slightly to 9.7 percent, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. The unemployment rate in November and December was reported as 10 percent.

According to the newly released data, jobs were gained in temporary help services, retail and the health care industry. The federal government provided 33,000 jobs. This includes 9,000 temporary positions for census workers.

Job losses were felt in the construction, transportation and warehousing industries.

“We are making progress, but the road to recovery will be long, and will not be easy,” said Joint Economic Committee Chairman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) during a hearing Friday morning.

In January, 14.8 million Americans were unemployed, a drop from 15.4 million the previous month.


TRNS Reporter Brishel Prichard contributed to this story

Unemployment Rate Stays At 10%

The nation's unemployment rate remained at 10% as the economy shed 85,000 jobs in December, according to statistics released today by the Department of Labor. While jobs in temporary services and health care increased, the construction, manufacturing and wholesale trade industries all experienced job loss.

The December unemployment figures were slightly worse than most analysts had predicted.

There was one bright spot found in the report as 4,000 jobs were actually created in November, the first increase in roughly two years. However, critics of the current administration's attempts to get the economy back on track feel that more needs to be done.

"Democrats continue to advance a liberal agenda that is doing more harm than good. The policies of higher taxes, runaway spending, record debt and government takeovers, are having a chilling effect on jobs creators across the country...The American people have waited for more than two years for Washington to enact policies that will help create jobs and they can’t afford to wait any longer," said House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) in a statement released on Friday.

Unemployment Makes Small Drop To 10 Percent In November

November’s unemployment rate was 10 percent, a slight decrease from October’s 10.2 percent, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.

The newly released data shows a rise in employment in the health care industry and temporary help services along with job losses in construction, manufacturing and the information industry.

The Department reported few changes in the employment numbers for transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and leisure and hospitality.

15.4 million Americans are currently unemployed, more than twice the 7.5 million that were out of work when the recession began late 2007.

White House Failing To Curb Job Loss, Claims Boehner

By Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) accused the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats Friday of mishandling the U.S. economy following the Labor Department’s announcement that unemployment has hit 10.2%,

“Today’s report is yet another reminder that American families and small businesses are still struggling, and the White House response is falling short,” said Boehner.

Boehner pointed to failed promises and exorbitant spending, citing the Democrats’ health care reform bill and stimulus plan as steps that will plunge the U.S. further into debt.

“Since the stimulus plan was signed into law, more than three million private sector jobs have been lost,” said Boehner “Now, Speaker Pelosi is pressing ahead with a $1.3 trillion government takeover of health care, endorsed by President Obama, that will destroy 5.5 million jobs according to methodology developed by his own senior economist.”

Bureau of Labor And Statistics Commissioner: We Have Moved Into A Normal Recession

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

Following Friday's announcement that unemployment has reached 9.8 percent, Bureau of Labor and Statistics Commissioner Keith Hall told the Joint Economic Committee Friday that while the U.S. economy is still in bad shape, it is at beginning to stabilize.

“We have moved into a normal recession... we really did have a six-month period that was unprecedented,” said Hall. “This particular recession was so broad and deep."

Hall added that the U.S. is slowly making a recovery in the manufacturing sector, explaining that it has expanded for the second consecutive month.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) responded to Hall by making it clear that the American economy is still hurting.

“The sky is falling... We can not be overly optimistic, but we need to call it like it is,” Said Cummings.

Rep. Kevin Bradley (R- Texas) was quick to the blame the Obama administration's use of TARP funds as an inhibitor to the economy.

“The unpredictability of government is the new invisible hand of the market. It is slowing the recovery- discouraging companies from making decisions that could lead to rehiring old workers and hiring new ones,” Brady said.

All panel members offered their condolences toward Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) whose husband recently passed away.