Statement from Joe Biden on the Monthly Jobs Report for July

Today’s jobs report shows just how far we have to go and why leadership matters. While I am grateful for the people who got their jobs back, my heart goes out to the more than 16 million workers who are without a job and a paycheck, and to their families who are without peace of mind. It did not have to be this bad.

We are in a deeper economic hole than we should be because of Donald Trump’s historic failure to respond to the pandemic, and the pace of recovery has now slowed because of Trump’s continuing inability to come up with a plan to control the virus. Unemployment claims keep breaking historical records. Millions of small businesses are on the brink of closing for good. Black and Latino families continue to bear the brunt of this crisis, with roughly half unsure if they can make next month’s rent. And parents who are able to work are struggling to find suitable care for their children.

Trump’s surrender to the pandemic has led to a resurgence of the virus and more economic pain and anxiety for millions of Americans. After six months of a nation in crisis, he still has no plan to get us through.

But I do. I have a plan to beat the pandemic and build our economy back better than before. I’ve offered it up for the President. He should listen. He won’t.

He is the one person in the country who should lose his job.