May 18, 2013
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Representative Martha Roby today reacted to a weak August jobs report that showed more Americans have given up looking for work saying she is concerned the shrinking workforce indicates an economy heading in the wrong direction.
While initially encouraged that the unemployment rate ticked down from 8.3 percent to 8.1 percent, Roby said she was disappointed to find out the slight decrease was due to the fact that so many Americans have given up looking for work.
“The fact that the percentage of workers participating in the United States job market is at its lowest level since 1981 should be a wake-up call to all Americans about where we are heading economically,” Roby said. “Our top priority is to improve the economy and ge more Americans working again. We need to take action to improve the economy now, not stall until after the election while so many families are struggling.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics today reported that just 96,000 jobs were added to the economy in August, well short of already low expectations. At the same time the workforce shrank by approximately 367,000 and the workforce participation rate fell to just 63.5 percent, its lowest level in more than 30 years.
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