Washington, DC – The United States Labor Department released new jobs numbers today showing that the American economy lost almost 600,000 jobs in January alone and the unemployment rate has hit a 16 year high of 7.6%.  Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement:

“Every day we get more bad news about the state of the economy.  Americans are out of work, in danger of losing their homes, without health care.  Working Americans aren’t surprised by these numbers – they know the economy is way off track. 

 

“Some in Congress don’t feel we need to act quickly and boldly to confront this crisis.  They think the economy will correct itself.  That didn’t happen in 1930 when Herbert Hoover tried it and it won’t happen today.  We must act.  These numbers are a wake-up call; it is time opponents of the recovery package stop hitting the snooze button and start working with President Obama to help American families.”