Kaine: Dems Doing 'Heavy Lifting' On Economy

This morning, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the March jobs report. According to the latest numbers, 162,000 jobs were created in March, the largest monthly jobs gain in three years, and the revised report shows that 40,000 jobs were created in January and February. In response, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement:

"This morning's jobs report shows that President Obama's unrelenting focus on economic recovery is working. In the last three months, more than 200,000 Americans have returned to the workplace, bringing new relief to families across the country.

"We've come a long way over the past year. When President Obama took office, the economy was shedding jobs at an alarming rate - nearly 800,000 a month - and the economy was in a free fall. Starting almost immediately after inaguration, President Obama and Democrats in Congress began to turn that around, implementing an ambitious agenda to get our economy back on track and get people working again. Through the Economic Recovery Act, infrastructure investments, support for small businesses, and incentives for employers that take on new workers, we've been able to go from massive job losses under the prior Administration to the job gains we have seen in the first quarter of 2010. Our economy has gone from contracting at an alarming rate to growing again, We are starting to see signs of relief. Unfortunately, Democrats have had to do this heavy lifting with next to no cooperation from the Republican Party--all because of a plan of obstruction and political gamesmanship Republican leaders concocted when the economy was at its lowest point since the Great Depression. That was, of course, the very time when when they should have been focused on helping the President turn the economy around to help the American people get back on their feet. The Republicans' failure to work with us on these important issues was politics at its worst.

"Even with these encouraging job numbers, we know that our work is far from over. Too many Americans are still looking for work - and until everyone who wants a job has one, we cannot rest President Obama and his Democratic allies are committed to rebuilding our economy for the short and long term, and are working hard every day to implement policies that will create jobs and a secure future for middle class Americans. Republicans have another opportunity to set aside their differences and find common ground on the issues facing America's families. It's time for them to stop cheering for failure, playing political games and start working with us to find solutions to our nation's problems. It's what the American people want, and it's what they deserve"