Amy Klobuchar: “I rise today to speak in support of the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act. Rarely is our economy discussed…”

“I rise today to speak in support of the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act. Rarely is our economy discussed without mention of the more than 14 million Americans who are currently out of work and searching for jobs, but this statistic is really only the beginning of the story. Two years after the recession officially ended or at least was at a place of stability, unemployment remains stubbornly high at 9.1 percent. When you factor those who are working part time because they can't find a full-time job and those who have stopped working altogether, that number quickly climbs. In my home State, it is 2 points better, at 6.9 percent, but there are still too many people out of work. It is my firm belief that the role of Congress is to promote the interests of the American people, and the American people have said loud and clear that we need to focus on initiatives that are about jobs, private sector jobs, jobs that pay people so they can support their families, jobs that strengthen our economy. At a time when enormous budget shortfalls plague our States, many States have been forced to make tough choices, including cutting the jobs of those individuals on our front lines, law enforcement and educators. In Minnesota, we have seen more than our fair share of crises in recent years, but we have also seen the value of effective emergency response.…”