Press Release

Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Praises American Workers and Strong Employment Figures

WASHINGTON—U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today released the following statement on the August Employment Report released earlier this morning, which showed 128,000 jobs were created and the unemployment rate at 4.7 percent.

“As we head into Labor Day weekend, today’s employment report reminds us all that President Bush’s economic policies are producing positive results for American workers. With the addition of 128,000 jobs in August, America has now created more than 5.7 million jobs over the past three years.

“In the past week, numbers have also shown consumer spending rising at its fastest pace in six months and personal income growing at seven percent over the past year. All of these factors demonstrate our current economic strength and bode well for future growth. We can keep the economy moving forward with the President’s agenda for low taxes, open markets, affordable health care, and comprehensive immigration reform.

“Hard-working Americans are the foundation of our healthy economy. We owe our nation’s prosperity to the innovation, creativity, and productivity of American workers, and those same strengths will help us meet any new challenges. This Labor Day, I applaud the achievements of our workforce and celebrate the vital role that workers play in helping our nation thrive.”