Hello, this is Congressman Ed Towns of the 10th Congressional District of Brooklyn New York. I am a former chairman of Congressional Black Caucus and currently a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and Government Reform.

Today, I want to speak with you about jobs. The Congressional Black Caucus has always advocated the expansion of economic and educational opportunities. We know that a productive economic system and sound education system are essential for a stable society. A job helps an individual obtain food, shelter, clothing, personal security and human dignity.

I was alarmed at a recent study by the Community Service Society which found that in New York City only 51% of African American males over the age of 16 held a job at any time in 2003. They wanted to work, but were unable to find jobs.

We have been told that this is a jobless recovery. But how can there be economic recovery without the creation of jobs?

When President Bush took office, the unemployment rate was at 4.2%. Today, it is 5.6%. Last month, the Labor Department said that those people working or looking for jobs had fallen to its lowest level in 16 years. There are 8 million people in the United States who want to work but are unable to find a job.

Since President Bush took office, the country has lost 2.8 million manufacturing jobs. This country has exported jobs in the service sector, including computer programming, customer service and medical support services. Sending jobs to countries with low wages and horrible working conditions threatens the existence of the American middle class.

Our current job situation is a crisis. Yet the Bush Administration has been unwilling or unable to address this crisis. The Administration's response has been to refuse to extend unemployment benefits. Instead, it continues to push more tax cuts for the wealthy. They have even said that sending jobs overseas is a good thing.

We need a real economic recovery. The millions of jobs that have been lost must be replaced and jobs must be created for new entrants to the labor market.

My friends, those are the facts. Let me leave you with a few questions. As high school and college graduations approach in the spring, and thousands of young people try to enter the workforce, what will the future hold for them? When they get their diplomas, will they also get the address to the unemployment office? Or can we offer them a chance at achieving their dreams?

This is Congressman Ed Towns with this week's radio address to America from the Congressional Black Caucus.