Chairman Yarmuth Statement on May Jobs Report: “We Can’t Allow Incremental Gains to Cloud Our Judgment”

Washington, D.C.— Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, issued this statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 2.5 million in May:

“The May jobs report confirms that Congress’ aggressive steps to support workers and small businesses have helped to mitigate the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic and push our recovery forward.  But while some Americans were able to return to work last month, their safety was not guaranteed. Our nation is still facing an ongoing pandemic, and workers should never be forced to risk the health and safety of their families for a paycheck.

“More than 20 million Americans are still out of work and the gains made in May disproportionately benefitted white workers while unemployment among African American and Asian American workers actually ticked up. Across the country, states and localities are still shedding education and other public service jobs at an alarming rate as they try to balance their budgets. We can’t allow incremental gains to cloud our judgment. Our work is not done.

“As the Budget Committee heard in its hearing earlier this week, the road to recovery will be long, and additional support is necessary to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people and improve our economic outlook. If we want to avoid repeating the mistakes of the Great Recession – when relief was withdrawn too soon – the President and the GOP Senate must join us to support real action to achieve a strong and equitable recovery.”