He says economy is softening.

Buck McKeon, who is the senior Republican on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee, has issued the following statement in response to the most recent Labor Department employment report, which showed a loss of 17,000 jobs in January, the first such loss since 2003.

“After more than four years of record-setting economic growth, it has become clear that the economy is softening.  Today’s jobs report adds to the uncertainty being faced by hardworking American families who are struggling with the rising cost of everything from higher education and health care to home heating fuel.  Unfortunately, after a year of a Democrat-led Congress, that uncertainty has been compounded by the threat of higher taxes and an innovation-stifling, job-killing agenda that favors trial lawyers and union bosses over American enterprise.

“House passage of a highly-focused economic stimulus package last week demonstrated the bipartisan commitment to heading off an economic slowdown.  This commitment to a short-term shot in the arm must be followed by a long-term commitment to pro-growth policies.  We must strengthen higher education and job training programs to keep America competitive, while rejecting misguided policies that breed costly litigation or bury job-creating small businesses in red tape and bureaucratic mandates.  Today’s jobs report provides a stark reminder of how important it is to ensure our laws foster job creation and individual economic freedom.”