Harkin Welcomes April Employment Report; Calls for Continued Action to Ensure All Americans Share in Economic Recovery

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement today on the April employment report showing that the economy added 288,000 jobs last month, with the national unemployment rate dropping to 6.3 percent from 6.7 percent.

“The April employment report is yet another sign that our economy is steadily on the mend, with 50 straight months of private-sector job growth. At 6.3 percent, the unemployment rate is now the lowest it has been in more than five years,” Harkin said. “Congress must continue its work to help all Americans share in the economic recovery, and that means strong legislation to ensure a fair shot for all workers, including reinstating federal unemployment insurance for those who have not yet been able to rejoin the workforce and improving the quality of jobs by raising the minimum wage.”

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