Press Release

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Statement on September Employment Figures

MIAMI—U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today released the following statement on the September Employment Report released earlier this morning, which showed that 51,000 jobs were created in September, 60,000 more jobs were added in August than originally thought, and the unemployment rate went down to 4.6 percent.

The 51,000 new jobs created last month, on top of 60,000 more jobs than were originally thought in August, mean that the U.S. economy has added more than an estimated 6.6 million jobs since August 2003. Add this to lower gas prices, a lower unemployment rate and the increasing retail sales reported this week, and that all says to me that the economy is strong. Sound policies and great workers bring solid results, and American workers are clearly seeing the benefits of the Bush Administration’s efforts.

Our economy is growing faster than that of any other major developed nation, and today’s unemployment rate is lower than the average rate for the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

With the proven success of President Bush’s economic policies, you have to wonder why some would change course and raise taxes on American families and businesses. The Bush Administration wants to make sure our nation’s workers can keep more of their own money by making the President’s tax relief permanent. The president’s agenda of lowering taxes and opening markets for American businesses will pave the way forward for even more job creation and new opportunities abroad.

White House Fact Sheet on Economic Jobs and Growth