Another Disappointing Jobs Report

This past week, the United States Department of Labor issued the latest unemployment report, which indicated that 7.3 percent of Americans who are looking for work still cannot find a job. In addition to the disappointing rise in unemployment, nearly one million people dropped out of the labor force – representing the lowest labor force participation rate in 35 years, another historic low under President Obama’s watch.

There is no question that five years of this Administration’s failed policies continue to have a negative impact on individuals, families, and small businesses. Too many in Ohio’s 16th district and across the country struggle to find work and many have given up their search all together.

Burdensome regulations handed down from Washington, economic uncertainty, and higher taxes are making it harder for our businesses to expand and hire. Furthermore, the President’s health care law is forcing many businesses to reduce employee hours in order to comply with the law’s mandates, turning full-time work into part-time work at a time when we can least afford it.  An independent analysis has documented hundreds of employers across the country, including more than 100 school districts, where employee hours have been cut as a direct result of the President’s health care law. Additionally, many businesses are reporting that they are not hiring due to the health care law’s penalties

The President’s health care law has caused millions of people to lose their health insurance plans that they were promised they could keep. Now, many are faced with the possibility of losing their jobs at a time when they are seeing their premiums skyrocket and receiving cancellation notices in the mail from their insurance providers. While it is deeply disheartening that the Administration spent hundreds of millions of hard-earned tax dollars on a system that is completely dysfunctional, the issues with healthcare.gov are just the tip of the iceberg. This law is having a devastating effect on our economy and our workforce and an apology from the President is not sufficient. It is time that the Administration acknowledges that the President’s health care law is unworkable by delaying it in its entirety for all Americans.

Since I was elected to the United States House of Representatives, one of my top priorities has been to advance legislation that will preserve existing jobs and make it easier for small businesses to hire and expand. This includes legislation that will fully repeal the President’s health care law and reinstate certainty for our job creators. I look forward to continuing to work with members of my Bipartisan Working Group and with our colleagues in the House to find solutions that will help get Ohio’s 16th district back to work.