Press Release

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Statement on July Unemployment Numbers

WASHINGTON—U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke issued the following statement on today’s release of the July 2009 unemployment numbers by the Labor Department. The report showed that the jobless rate dropped to 9.4 percent from 9.5 percent.

"Today's news that the rate of job loss is declining is a welcome sign that our economy is no longer in freefall. But we know that millions of families are still struggling. A 9.4 percent unemployment rate remains unacceptable, and this administration will not be satisfied until people are getting back to work. Much remains to be done, but with the aggressive steps the president has taken to put people back to work and to stabilize our financial system, I have no doubt that we are moving in the right direction."