Private Sector Adds Jobs, GOP Defunds Programs Helping Struggling Homeowners and the CBC Turns 40 -- April 1, 2011

Thank you for reading another edition of my e-newsletter, the Carson Courier. For additional information on these and other topics, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov.

In this week's Carson Courier:

• Private Sector Continues to Add Jobs
• GOP Votes to Abolish Housing Programs for Middle Class
• The Congressional Black Caucus is Turning 40

Private Sector Continues to Add Jobs

This week, the Department of Labor announced that the U.S. economy added 216,000 new jobs in March, dropping the unemployment rate to 8.8 percent. Over the past four months the unemployment rate has fallen by a full percentage point, the largest such decline since 1984. Today's jobs report marks another step forward in our economic recovery. Although the last two months of private job gains have been the strongest in five years, we still have a long way to go. In the days and weeks ahead, we in Congress have a choice: we can fulfill our promise to the American people by working to pass legislation that will create jobs, or we can instead pursue a policy of reckless spending cuts that harm our communities, kill jobs and end much needed investments in our economy. Rest assured, I will continue to press Republicans to pass legislation that continues our economic momentum and creates jobs.

To read more about this issue, please click here.

GOP Votes to Abolish Housing Programs for Middle Class

This week, Republicans in the House took up the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) Termination Act, which denies critical assistance to struggling Americans who are trying to save their homes. This bill will increase the number of avoidable foreclosures and also put the still-fragile housing market recovery at greater risk. The vote wraps up the House's month long consideration of four GOP measures to end federal mortgage aid programs. President Obama has threatened to veto the HAMP measure as well as the three similar GOP bills.

Republicans have yet to offer a plan to strengthen the housing market which is crucial to our economic recovery. Repeatedly, Republicans have voted against legislation that would stop the abusive lending practices that contributed to the foreclosure crisis. I will continue to call upon my Republican colleagues to not turn their back on millions of hardworking American people.

For more information about HAMP, please click here.

The Congressional Black Caucus is Turning 40

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has long played a major role in the political spectrum over the past 40 years. This organization was founded in 1971 when 13 African-American congressional members joined together to strengthen their efforts to address the legislative concerns of black and minority citizens. The CBC has since grown into one of the largest and most respected caucuses in Washington, known as the "Conscience of Congress."

From taking the lead to end apartheid in South Africa to its work in education reform, environmental justice and health parity, the CBC's work has influenced lives far beyond its members' districts and has been instrumental in determining international and domestic policy. It gives me enormous pride to be a part of this vital institution that has done so much for all Americans over the last 40 years.

Thank you for reading the Carson Courier. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. For more information, please visit my website at https://www.carson.house.gov, my Congressional Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanAndreCarson and follow me on Twitter@RepAndreCarson. I value your views and your input which help me to better represent the people of Indiana's 7^th District in Congress.