Today, the Department of Labor announced that the economy added 227,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate remained at 8.3 percent:

With 233,000 jobs added by private businesses, this marks the 24th consecutive month of private sector job growth:

And as Alan Krueger, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, points out, “after losing millions of good manufacturing jobs in the years before and during the recession, the economy has added 429,000 manufacturing jobs in the past two years. For the first time since the 1990s, the manufacturing sector is adding jobs.”

Leader Pelosi on today’s report:

Today’s jobs report is a step in the right direction for the middle class and for small businesses, but we still have more work to do.

Americans’ top priority remains job creation, yet for 430 days in the majority, House Republicans have failed to put forward a comprehensive jobs agenda. Instead, Republicans have voted to weaken our economy and end the Medicare guarantee, and pushed a partisan transportation bill that destroys 500,000 jobs.

Americans facing skyrocketing prices at the pump and a still fragile job market cannot afford more of the Republicans No Jobs agenda. Democrats will continue to work with President Obama to build on today’s positive news to spur our economic growth and strengthen the middle class, and we are hopeful that Republicans will join us.

We are committed to reigniting the American dream and building ladders of opportunity for anyone willing to work hard, be responsible, and play by the rules – so everyone can succeed.