According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report released this morning, the U.S. unemployment rate slightly decreased to 7.4% from 7.6% while the economy only added 162,000 jobs, lower than what economists expected.

Rep. Bucshon (IN-08) states:

 

“While I am encouraged to see a slight dip in our nation’s unemployment rate, today’s report showed that our economy is still stagnating.  Job growth continues to come in below expectations while many of the jobs that are being added are part-time, low-wage positions.  Small businesses are inundated with burdensome rules and regulations from the federal government that have prevented the type of economic growth we need to get middle class families back to work. One of the biggest culprits has been ObamaCare, a law that has forced many businesses to cut jobs and forced full-time workers to accept part-time hours.

 

“I ran for Congress to change business as usual and fight for hard working Hoosiers.  In recent weeks, I have joined my colleagues in the House to bring relief to families who are struggling. Reckless spending, overregulation, and government abuses in agencies like the IRS and the EPA have limited the opportunity Americans need to get ahead. We’ve passed pro-growth legislation to stop an out-of-control government, expand American energy production to create jobs and lower energy prices, and delayed ObamaCare’s employer and individual mandates to protect full-time wages.”

 

BACKGROUND:

Rep. Bucshon is hosting a Job Fair in Evansville, IN on August 6th open to all Hoosiers.  As of now, 63 employers have been confirmed that are offering over 1,800 positions. More information can be found here.

4.2 million Americans have been unemployed for 6 months or more and while the total number unemployed is 11.5 million. (BLS; 8/2/2013)

According to USA Today, “Some economists have downplayed the solid payroll advances, noting that many of the new jobs are part-time positions in low-wage industries.” (USA Today; 8/2/2013)

Real unemployment, a measure that includes discouraged workers and those employed part-time who would rather work full-time, was 14.0% and the labor force participation rate was at 63.4%. (BLS; 8/2/2013)

 

I can’t believe it is already time for students to head back to school. It seems like just yesterday we were hearing about graduation ceremonies and summer reading lists. I still remember the anxiety that would accompany the beginning of a new year. After all, it can be difficult to adjust to putting your child in someone else’s hands for seven hours each day.

As students return to the classroom in the coming weeks, things will be much different than in years past. This session, we were able to allot an additional $390 million towards K-12 education. Our public education system accounts for over half of all appropriations in the state’s budget – a critical investment in the future of every Hoosier student. This appropriation exceeds pre-recession funding levels and will help schools be innovative and responsive to 21^stcentury demands.

In addition to these added education dollars, we also passed many other pieces of legislation which will ensure a better environment for Hoosier students to grow and thrive. For instance, the Department of Education will now be working with schools to establish bullying prevention programs, investigation and reporting procedures as well as disciplinary measures in case bullying occurs.

Studies show that one in four kids has been bullied in the last 12 months. If we expect students to want to go to school, to be excited about learning and to perform to the best of their abilities, we have to first ensure that they feel safe in their surroundings. For these reasons, I support the General Assembly’s efforts to do more to stand up to bullying.

People say that childhood is the greatest years of one’s life. These years are meant to be carefree and innocent. As a grandparent, it would break my heart to know that my grandchildren were bullied. I can’t imagine the stress that that would put on a child and their family, and I think it is important that we offer training for students and teachers so that they can better understand this sensitive issue.

School bus safety is also a concern, and we want to make sure young Hoosiers are safe. We passed legislation whichrequires school buses that have safety belts to conduct an evacuation drill and to provide instruction on the proper use of a safety belt. Additionally, the Indiana State Police will now offer an electronic school bus inspection program. By logging onto https://secure.in.gov/ISP/BusInspections/Public/Index, parents can check the safety status of their child’s school bus.

This website includes information such as the total number of buses inspected and the number of buses that were approved, ordered repaired or out service. Such inspections have been carried out for many years but by posting the results online, this will allow parents the convenience of viewing these reports from home. This will increase transparency and put more power into the hands of the parent.

Public safety, especially for the most vulnerable among us, is always a top priority. Hoosier schools should be seen as a safe haven, full of opportunities for the future leaders of our state. The steps taken last session are important to ensure their safety, and we will continue to evaluate the best practices for educating Hoosier students and ensuring they remain safe.

While the long days of summer are quickly coming to an end, there is a new hope: the promise of new beginnings and the optimism that comes from knowing that students are better off this year than they were last year. As we continue to work hard to improve our schools, I hope that students across the state will be hard at work in the classroom as well. I wish everyone a great year and look forward to hearing of our students’ upcoming successes!