Washington, DC – Below, Congressman Frank Lucas comments on the most recent unemployment numbers released by the U.S. Department of Labor.  In the month of November, 11,000 Americans lost their job, putting the unemployment rate at 10 percent and increasing the number of jobless Americans to 15.4 million.  Last month, the unemployment rate rose to 10.2 percent – the highest it has been in 26 years.  The November unemployment rate in Oklahoma has yet to be released, but October’s unemployment rate in Oklahoma topped seven percent. 

“As this country’s unemployment rate continues to hover at 10 percent, Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team remain on their path of spend and tax – with little regard for those Americans suffering through these hard economic times.  And while the White House continues to claim their so-called stimulus package ‘saved or created’ hundreds of thousands of jobs, more than three million private sector jobs have actually been lost since the stimulus was signed into law. 

“Oklahoma has fared better than much of the rest of the country, especially those states on the East and West coasts.  However unemployment in the state continues to rise and the issue weighs heavily on every Oklahoman’s mind.

“It’s time for this Congress to get serious about developing real solutions to our unemployment rate.  Raising taxes, increasing federal spending to unprecedented levels, and borrowing against our children’s and grandchildren’s futures is not the answer.  We need to work together to encourage economic growth by providing incentives for small businesses, by lowering taxes for American families, and by returning Washington to fiscally responsible behavior.”

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