Republicans rip Biden economy after 'dismal' jobs report

US labor secretary blames delta variant on disappointing jobs report

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh acknowledges the September jobs report shows ‘there is no question’ that ‘we still have work to do.’

Republicans are slamming President Biden over the lackluster September jobs report, which shows that the economy added just 194,000 jobs in September, which was significantly fewer than the 500,000 new jobs that economists expected. 

"President Biden’s failed economic policy has created an economic crisis," House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., tweeted. "September’s jobs report is the WORST of the year."

"Today’s jobs report is a disaster," added Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. "Over 300,000 fewer jobs created than expected… Labor force participation fell… Prices are rising faster than wages… Biden has squandered the recovery he inherited!"

US ECONOMY ADDS 194K JOBS IN SEPTEMBER, MISSING ESTIMATES

The last time that the U.S. economy created fewer jobs in a month was December 2020 when it lost 306,000 jobs at the height of the pandemic. 

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said on FOX Business' "Varney & Co." that the COVID-19 delta variant, which has led to a significant increase in nationwide case numbers, is to blame for the weak jobs report. 

"Overall, when you look at the 4.8% unemployment rate, you know, and what's happened since the beginning this year, we've added almost five million jobs, the economy about 500,000 average over the last three months," he said on Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "But certainly, we know we have work to do."

Walsh added: "I think a lot of people are looking at, are they going to make a career change? They're looking at their work-life balance to change. Also, I think people are still concerned about the pandemic and the delta variant."

But Republicans instead blamed the president and his policies for the staggering economic recovery. 

"Dismal #JobsReport today. U.S. job growth fell to the slowest pace of the year. There are millions of job openings, but Americans are leaving the workforce in staggering numbers.," Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., tweeted. "Dem promises of tax hikes & "free everything" isn’t helping job growth or rising inflation."

"Yet another failed jobs report. This is a direct result of Biden and the Dems’ harmful economic policies," said Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn. "We need to stop incentivizing Americans not to work and get our economy back on track. Dumping trillions of dollars into a socialist spending spree won’t help the situation!"

Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., said the administration is "a disaster on every front, and Americans are paying the costs!" he said. 

The September report was the first since the $300 per week in supplemental unemployment benefits expired on September 5. Economists are still assessing the impact of the Child Tax Credit, which pays families up to $3,600 per child per year. Also having an impact going forward will be the mandatory vaccine requirements being enforced by a growing number of companies. 

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Notable job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality (+74,000) were led by the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector (+43,000). Hiring in food services and drinking places was little changed for a second straight month after averaging a monthly gain of 197,000 from January through July. Professional and business services (+60,000), retail trade (+56,000), and transportation and warehousing (+47,000) also saw sizable gains. 

Both local government education (-144,000) and state government education (-17,000) lost jobs last month. 

FOX Business' Jonathan Garber, Robert Enos and Edward Lawrence contributed to this report. 

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