Tom Udall: “Five years ago, our economy went off a cliff. We all remember how bad it was. Wall Street crashed, great industries…”

“Five years ago, our economy went off a cliff. We all remember how bad it was. Wall Street crashed, great industries faced ruin, trillions of dollars in savings of American families gone, wiped out. That was the reality. It was a nightmare for millions of Americans. They lost their jobs, they lost their homes. So many saw a lifetime's work disappear through no fault of their own. Five years later we are slowly making our way back. We have seen 42 months of private sector job growth. That is 7.5 million jobs. That is a new start for millions of Americans, but as families in New Mexico know, having a job in this economy does not mean the struggles are over. We are moving forward, but not fast enough. Too many folks in my State are still looking for jobs, or they are working and still struggling to pay for rent, food, and gas. They still have not caught up to where they were before, even though they are working harder than ever. New Mexico's unemployment remains too high. It is at 6.9 percent, and it has been stuck at around 7 percent for far too long. We still have a way to go, so we can't afford any more self-inflicted wounds--no more manufactured crises and no more manufactured government dysfunction. Unfortunately, we are seeing this again and again. A minority of radical obstructionists in the House and in the Senate is threatening a government shutdown unless they get their way. They wish to repeal the law of the land even though they lack the votes to do so.…”