New York, NY - Congressman Charles B. Rangel released the following statement after the Department of Labor's release of the April jobs report marking the 26th consecutive month of private sector job growth. Over the past two years, more than 4.2 million private sector jobs have been created, with businesses adding 130,000 new employees last month. The report finds a downtick in the national unemployment rate, from an 8.2 percent unemployment rate in March to an 8.1 percent unemployment rate in April:

"I am pleased to learn that the nation's economy continues to rally.  Thanks to ambitious and far-sighted fiscal policies enacted by President Barack Obama, America's economy is growing month after month, and is on track to reach pre-recession levels by 2014. 

President Obama recognizes that in order for the economy to continue its surge, we must act to get America's youth to work. To that end, he has initiated the Summer Jobs Initiative, which will provide $1.5 billion for high-impact summer jobs and year-round employment for low-income youth ages 16-24, as part of the American Jobs Act’s Pathways Back to Work Fund. The  President last month also proposed freezing interests rates on many federal student loans at 3.4 percent and paying for it by closing tax loopholes on Big Oil. 

Yet House Republicans responded by passing a bill that freezes student loans by slashing funding for cancer screenings and many other preventative tests.  This bill is in keeping with the Ryan Budget, which ends the Medicare guarantee while giving massive tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, Big Oil, and companies that ship jobs overseas.  Republicans have also refused to bring up the bipartisan Senate transportation bill that will create or save more than 2 million jobs and rebuild our roads, bridges, highways and railways.

It is clear that President Obama and Democrats in Congress are working hard to pass legislation that supports, protects, and uplifts hardworking Americans, while the Republicans are working to protect the interests of Big Business. I urge my Republican Colleagues to set aside their ideologies and work with us in supporting the President's agenda to continue our path to economic recovery."