Statement on the National Economy

Four years ago, I said if America met its economic challenge by bringing down the deficit, investing in education and training, rewarding work, and opening markets, we could spur a strong recovery that could help this economy create 8 million jobs in 4 years. It is a tribute to the hard work, ingenuity, and strength of the American people that our economy has created more than 8 million jobs in just 3 years instead of 4.

Even as we celebrate the creation of 8.4 million jobs, we must remember that much more must be done to ensure that our economy is working for all of our working families. This is no time to rest or move backwards. To keep America's job machine humming and our economy growing, we must get back to work on balancing the budget in a way that puts our people first.