WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today reported that payrolls declined by 851,000 during the month of February. Payroll employment has been steadily faltering since December with February now ranking highest for job loss numbers in more than 25 years. DOL reports that 12.5 million Americans are now without jobs, spiking the unemployment rate 3.3 points in the last month to 8.1 percent.
In response, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today issued the following statement:
“Today’s disturbing news underscores the need to act quickly and swiftly on economic reform. Passing the recovery package was a critical first step. Today, I joined President Obama in Columbus, Ohio to swear in 25 police officers whose layoffs were averted by recovery funds. But we must do more – and that means Republicans working with Democrats in Congress to immediately pass the omnibus, move on housing legislation, and reform our fundamentally-flawed banking system. Our nation faces the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Every roadblock, every delay puts our nation’s workers and their families at greater risk of economic disaster. The time to act is now.”
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