FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 1, 2023
CONTACT: [email protected]
One Country Statement on August 2023 Jobs Report
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, One Country Project issued the following statement after the release of the August jobs report:
“After a record-hot summer, August showed some welcome signs of cooling inflation and a stabilizing economy. With the addition of 187,000 jobs in August, the last three months recorded an addition of 150,000 jobs on average, demonstrating the effectiveness of policies made by the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress to recover from the pandemic and transition into more steady growth.
“Despite an overall promising economic outlook, costs remain stubbornly high, especially for those seeking childcare while they head back to work. $50 billion in federal childcare relief funding is set to expire at the end of September, forcing childcare centers to cut back salaries during a shortage of 40,000 childcare workers, or rely more on parents’ contributions – meaning that costs are likely to increase beyond the already sky-high average of $10,600 per year, making it the largest expense for households above housing, college tuition, and healthcare. While the Biden administration has taken steps to lower childcare costs for working families, 59 percent of rural families live in childcare deserts where they lack access to affordable, quality childcare.
“As Congress returns to Capitol Hill, lawmakers must ensure rural parents can go back to work and continue providing for their families. Specifically, the Farm Bill must be a priority to guarantee that farmers, ranchers, and rural communities – whose livelihoods have been disrupted by increasingly damaging climate change – can put food on America’s tables.”
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About One Country Project
Rural America holds an essential role in moving the United States forward and the One Country Project is dedicated to ensuring Rural America’s priorities and values are heard and reflected in policy at the federal level. To learn more, visit us at www.onecountryproject.com or on Twitter or Facebook.