Washington, D.C., Sep 3, 2010 - Today, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the national unemployment rate has climbed to 9.6 percent and the overwhelming uncertainty in our markets forced employers to cut 54,000 jobs in August.  House Small Business Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) has released the following statement:

"After another devastating unemployment report, families and businesses across the country are hoping that President Obama will finally get the message: his economic policies aren't working.  Our economy has been shedding jobs in virtually every sector for months, yet the White House continues to push forward with ill-advised initiatives that increase our federal deficit and bury small businesses with unmanageable taxes, regulations and bureaucratic red tape.  To make matters worse, President Obama and Majority Leaders in Congress are now working furiously to institute another massive tax increase effective January 2011 that will raise taxes on 50 percent of the small business income in America.

"It is time for an immediate change in course in Washington, one that focuses on empowering the private sector.  Small businesses have created the majority of new jobs in our nation in past years, but they cannot create jobs now unless the federal government makes a commitment to support them.  We need to stop the devastating tax hikes, reduce government intrusion on small businesses and get our federal spending and debt under control now, or else we will face even worse unemployment news in the coming months.  My Republican colleagues and I are fighting to bring the voice of America's entrepreneurs to Washington, and I hope that this latest report will finally force the President to listen."

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