Washington, D.C. – Today, as the U.S. Department of Labor announced the latest unemployment figures, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand issued the following statement:
“Although economists suggest the data is better than expected, that is little comfort to the 539,000 Americans newly out of work. With the unemployment rate at a 25 year high of 8.9 percent, there are clearly a lot of families hurting. As Americans, we must make sure that those who have lost their jobs are not left behind. We must take action to provide employment opportunities, assist those at risk of losing their homes and health insurance, and provide additional support for families with children.
“I am hopeful that we are seeing a bottoming in the current recession and I am working with President Obama, Senator Schumer and the rest of the New York delegation to put New Yorkers back to work. Stimulus funds will put federal dollars into shovel-ready infrastructure projects, provide aid to the jobless, and invest in education.
“The current economic crisis has hurt so many New Yorkers and people across the country. We must be prepared to take additional steps to jumpstart the economy and create good jobs. It is imperative that we get the economy moving and get New Yorkers back to work.”
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