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Neal Statement on August 2021 Jobs Report

September 3, 2021

SPRINGFIELD, MA—Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) released the following statement on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) August 2021 jobs report:

"Last month's jobs report illustrates that our economic recovery ebbs and flows with the pandemic, and as the delta variant rages, job growth is inevitably lagging. Workers need to feel safe returning to work, and right now, many are worried about endangering their children or their immunocompromised loved ones, struggling to find child care, all while knowing they don't have paid leave should a family member get sick. Since President Biden entered office, we have added millions of jobs back to the economy, adopted sensible public health measures, and increased vaccination numbers, but it's clear our work is far from done.

"This dent in our economic recovery makes bold investments in our physical infrastructure and making the economy work for every American even more necessary. The Ways and Means Committee is hard at work crafting provisions that will ensure our post-pandemic economy is strong, resilient, and equitable. I encourage all Americans to speak with their health professional about getting vaccinated and masking up when necessary so we can continue to move our recovery forward and put this pandemic behind us."

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