Media Center

Representative Scott DesJarlais (TN-04) issued the following statement in response to the October Jobs Report. Since President Obama took office, the nation’s unemployment rate has gone from 7.8 percent to 9.1 percent and the number of unemployed Americans has increased by two million. Additionally, the federal debt has increased from $10.6 trillion to $14.9 trillion.

“Today’s jobs numbers are a grim reminder that President Obama’s failed economic policies have done little to create jobs in this country. For over two years now our nation’s unemployment rate has exceeded 9 percent despite the passage of the president’s nearly trillion dollar stimulus package that he assured us would keep unemployment under 8 percent. 

“Now, we see President Obama back on the campaign trail promoting even more government spending through a second stimulus package, which he calls a “jobs plan.” Unfortunately for him, it seems that even Congressional Democrats have begun to distance themselves from this president’s misguided economic policies and have been more than hesitant to embrace his stimulus package. Perhaps they are just as alarmed as I am that this president has already increased the amount of debt per person from $34,731 to $47,796.

“House Republicans understand that we need real solutions that will give America’s job-creators the tools and confidence they need to start creating jobs in local communities. I’ve visited more than 40 businesses as part of my “Tennessee Job Creators Tour” and the message I get from them is clear: stop over-spending, stop over-taxing and, above all, stop over-regulating.

“To date, House Republicans have passed more than 20 bipartisan jobs-bills specifically aimed at creating an environment that will allow small businesses to grow and hire. Unfortunately, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has blocked these commonsense pieces of legislation from even being voted on. Rather than continuing to push for more government spending that will do little to spur job creation, President Obama should encourage Senate Democrats to take up the House-passed jobs bills.

“I will continue to work with Tennessee’s job-creators in finding solutions that will get Fourth District residents back to work. It is time for President Obama and Senate Democrats to join us in empowering small businesses – not the federal government.”