BULLY PULPIT

Obama to Congress: Focus on Jobs

Addresses dismal jobs report.

President Obama issued a stern, matter-of-fact statement regarding today’s dismal jobs report, confirming “what most Americans already know” and urging Congress to pass job-boosting initiatives, such as road projects for unemployed construction workers. “Our economy as a whole just isn’t producing enough jobs,” Obama said, underscoring that the 2 million jobs the nation has created in recent years isn’t enough to make up for the 8 million jobs lost during the recession. He also stressed the importance of making a swift compromise to raise the debt ceiling and cut back on federal spending. May’s unemployment data reported a gain of only 18,000 jobs.