There will not be a job for every American worker until the government makes some important policy changes.  First, the federal government needs to stop running deficits in our national budget and return to balanced budgets, which means bringing an end to unnecessary tax cuts and unchecked spending.  Deficits drive up interest rates and drag down investor confidence, both of which hurt our economy and drain the number of jobs available.  This is exactly why I voted against the 2005 federal budget, which continues hundred billion dollar deficits and hurts job growth, and instead voted for a budget proposal that would have reined in deficits.  Second, our government needs to work actively to expand trade to get more American products out in the world, so that we can create more manufacturing jobs here at home.  Third, we must invest in education and worker training, so that workers who are seeking jobs have the skills and resources necessary to compete in a continually changing workplace.  

Some people in government and Wall Street say that our economy is recovering, but there is no such thing as a recovery until massive unemployment ends and families no longer have to worry where their next paycheck is coming from.  Our government needs to take these steps now to ensure that millions of unemployed workers are no longer left behind.   

To read earlier Washington Updates on the subject of unemployment, please visit my website at http://www.house.gov/andrews, click on "Washington Updates," and follow the links for January 22, 2002, Oct 17, 2002 and May 22, 2003.

To view the legislation for the 2005 federal budget, please visit http://thomas.loc.gov and search for H.CON.RES.95.  To view earlier Washington Updates on the federal budget, please view the links for March 25, 2004, February 26, 2004, May 28, 2003, April 11, 2003, and August 29, 2002 at my website.

To view earlier an earlier Washington Update on a worker training initiative I supported, please view the link for February 25, 2002.