Washington, D.C.— Today, House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) issued the following statement after the Labor Department released its December jobs report:
“The December jobs report showcases the resiliency of the U.S. economy as we continued to add jobs at a steady pace despite the spread of the Omicron variant. Last month, we added 199K jobs, and wage growth rose to 4.7% year over year. These numbers paint a picture of a robust economic recovery and an improving environment for American small businesses and their workers. Under President Biden, the economy created 6.4 million jobs in 2021, more than any other year on record. When the President took office, the unemployment rate sat at 6.3%; today’s report revealed that it has fallen to 3.9%, a pandemic low.
“However, the Omicron variant poses a threat to the great progress that we’ve made. It’s more important now than ever for all Americans to get vaccinated and take appropriate measures to protect themselves and their fellow citizens. It’s also vital that Congress continues to advance bold policies to provide for the American people. The House did just that when we passed the Build Back Better act last November. The Senate must do the same.”
