“Today’s numbers show that our economy is growing, and is poised to grow even faster in the months to come. There is still much work to be done to bring unemployment down in Nevada and across the nation. The first step is to replace the sequester with a balanced combination of smart spending cuts and policies that close wasteful tax loopholes and ask millionaires to pay their fair share. But this can only be done with cooperation from my Republican colleagues.

“The American people expect solutions from their elected officials. It is up to Congress to provide them with the solutions they deserve.”

“Our nation’s economy continues to recover, but there is still work to be done. To give our economy the running room it needs to get up to speed, we should replace cuts that hurt the middle class with a balanced approach that combines smart cuts with revenue measures that close tax loopholes and ask the wealthy to contribute their fair share. For too many Nevadans and Americans throughout our nation, the recovery isn’t a reality until they can rely on a steady paycheck. We will not rest until we make that future a reality.”

“While too many Americans in Nevada and across the country continue to struggle, there is no doubt our economy is moving in the right direction. The only question is whether Republicans will jeopardize the progress made so far by forcing a $2,200 tax hike on middle class families, or initiating another destructive fight over the debt ceiling.

“The steps we need to take to keep our economy moving in the right direction are simple. Speaker Boehner should pass the Senate’s middle-class tax cut bill immediately, and Senator McConnell should allow an up-or-down vote on his own proposal to give the President the authority to avoid default by raising the debt ceiling.

“If Republicans refuse to take these simple steps, their focus will be clear:  they are more interested in appeasing the Tea Party than protecting the middle class.”

“Today’s job numbers make one thing clear: President Obama’s policies are moving our economy forward, creating more jobs than expected in October and more than 5 million over the past 32 months.

“We have a great deal more to do and too many Nevadans are still out of work. But this recovery would be even stronger if Republicans had decided to work with Democrats, instead of obstructing at every turn. As we look to the challenges facing us in the coming months, I hope that my Republican colleagues will re-evaluate their strategy, stop trying to appease the Tea Party, and instead choose to help all Americans by reaching across the aisle to get things done. The American people expect us to put politics aside and do the right thing for middle-class families, and they deserve nothing less from their elected leaders.”

“We still have a lot of work to do, but with unemployment dropping below 8 percent to the lowest level in four years, our economy is on the right track. The unemployment rate fell even after more than four hundred thousand people entered the workforce. There are still far too many people looking for work in Nevada and across the nation, but today’s report shows that the balanced policies advanced by President Obama and Democrats in the House and Senate are working to move our economy forward.

“We could be moving even faster if Republicans would drop their knee-jerk obstruction and work with Democrats. My counterpart, Senator McConnell, said that his ‘single most important’ goal was defeating President Obama, not working to create jobs or grow the middle class. It’s time for Republicans to put politics aside, and put the middle class first.”

“Today’s figures show that while the unemployment rate continues to fall, too many Americans in Nevada and throughout our nation are still struggling to find work. Creating jobs must remain Congress’ top priority.

“Unfortunately, Republicans are currently obstructing a number of common-sense, bipartisan policies that would create and protect millions of American jobs. The House is sitting on bipartisan bills to save three million transportation jobs, and modernize the postal industry. There is no reason why we should not pass these common-sense jobs bills without delay – no reason except for Republican obstruction.”

“This shows that even in an election year, this divided Congress can still accomplish something to help boost the economy. Republicans may not have preferred to extend this tax cut, but they were powerless to oppose it given its popularity and the power of the President’s bully pulpit. We will be seeking to replicate this dynamic with other jobs measures in the months to come.”

“More than 160 million American workers will keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets this year thanks to this bipartisan compromise. More than four million unemployed Americans will continue receiving checks that help them pay the rent and buy groceries while they look for a job, and millions of seniors on Medicare will continue to have access to their doctors. I fought to prevent Republicans from making extreme cuts to unemployment insurance in hard-hit states like Nevada that need assistance as our economy continues to recover.

“In the end, both sides compromised for the good of our country, which is exactly how the American people expect their elected leaders to work.

“I commend the members of the conference committee for their diligence and dedication throughout this process. This bipartisan victory will help our fragile economy as it continues to gain steam. More needs to be done, but this is an important step forward. I hope the spirit of compromise shown by Republicans today will continue as we work together to keep our economy growing.”

“While I continue to be encouraged by the improving jobs numbers, millions of families continue to struggle in Nevada and around the country. Creating jobs is Congress’s top priority and we must keep moving to pass common-sense solutions that put Americans back to work.

“Next week the Senate will pass a long-term reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, an aviation jobs bill, which will create or save 280,000 American jobs. We also must act quickly to extend the middle tax class payroll tax cut through the end of the year. If Republicans continue to drag their feet on extending this tax cut, Democrats will move forward with this legislation to ensure that middle class families don’t get hit with a tax increase at the end of the month and we don’t jeopardize the economic gains we’ve seen over the past few months.

“I hope my Republican colleagues will work with Democrats on passing these common sense measures. The American people expect us to put politics aside and put the interests of the middle class families first.”

“This news is a reminder that we must continue using every tool at our disposal to get our economy growing and get Americans back to work. Too many families in Nevada and across America are struggling. One of the most effective things we can do for them is to put  more money in their pockets. Unfortunately, Republicans last night blocked a $1,500 tax cut for the middle class that would have spurred job creation. Republicans proved once again that the only tax cuts they will fight for are giveaways for millionaires and billionaires.

“Democrats will continue our focus on creating jobs. I hope Republicans will put politics aside and join us in fighting for the middle class.”

“This Veterans Day Congress pays tribute to those who have put their lives on the line to defend our country with deeds as well as words. I am glad Senate Republicans joined us to pass legislation that will help spur hiring among the nearly 900,000 out-of-work veterans in this country and in Nevada. This includes a quarter of a million young veterans of the global fight against terrorism. The best way for the House to honor our troops on Veterans Day would be to pass this bill tomorrow. Our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines fighting overseas should be focused on the job at hand, not how they’ll find a job when they come home.

“While we need to do more to maintain our commitment to our nation’s heroes, today’s vote was an important step in the right direction. Now that we have begun the important task of putting veterans back to work, I hope Republicans will cooperate with us as we focus on putting the rest of America back to work as well.”

This week Republicans proved once again that the only jobs they care about are their own.

They voted against a plan to create 2 million American jobs because they believed it was good Republican politics.

Meanwhile, 14 million unemployed Americans are worried about how they are going to make the rent, put food on the table and fill the gas tank to get to job interviews.

Those 14 million Americans couldn’t care less who proposed the plan or who gets the credit. The only thing they care about is that Congress gets to work putting them back to work.

Asked whether they supported a plan that asks millionaires to contribute their fair share to pay for tax cuts for middle-class families and small businesses, construction of roads and schools and an extension of unemployment benefits, Americans overwhelmingly said yes, they did support it.

They support it because a quarter of U.S. millionaires pay lower tax rates than many middle-class families.

Sixty-three percent supported the proposals contained in the American Jobs Act, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released yesterday.

Even more – 64 percent – agreed it is a “good idea” to pay for these job-creating programs by asking people who make more than $1 million a year to contribute a little more to our economic recovery.

I repeat: two-thirds of Americans support both the plan Republicans blocked this week, and the way it’s paid for.

Yet still, Republicans unanimously voted against tax cuts, infrastructure investments and jobs for teachers, cops and veterans.

They voted against 2 million jobs for American workers.

My Republican colleagues certainly pay lip service to the unemployment crisis in this country, but in the end actions speak louder than words.

As Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, the first African-American woman to be elected to Congress from the Deep South, once said: “The citizens of America expect more. They deserve and they want more than a recital of problems.”

They demand action. And they deserve it.

Democrats will not let them down.

We will not stop working to pass the proposals contained in the American Jobs Act just because Republicans use every obstructionist trick in the book.

We will continue to ask the richest Americans to share the burden of getting our economy back on track.

And we will never give up the fight to create jobs for the 14 million people in this country who are out of work.

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Republicans’ obstruction of job-creation efforts. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

Yesterday morning a gunman entered an IHOP restaurant in Carson City, Nevada and opened fire, killing four people and wounding several others before killing himself.

We are still learning the details of this tragedy. But we do know five of the victims were members of the Nevada National Guard.

It appears the gunman was targeting men and women in uniform, although authorities say the motive is unclear. Three Nevada National Guard members died yesterday from their wounds, as did one civilian.

Citizen soldiers willingly sacrifice time with their families and knowingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect a grateful nation. But no one expects to be in danger when they go out for pancakes in the morning.

I thank these five brave guardsmen for their commitment to Nevada and to this country. My thoughts are with them again today.

My heart also goes out to the families of the other Nevadans who were killed or wounded yesterday.

It is hard to imagine such a terrible thing taking place in the quiet town of Carson City, where I spent so much time when I was a Nevada state legislator and lieutenant governor. I wish all the citizens of Carson City well as they begin the process of healing after these shocking events.

This fall Democrats in Washington are hoping to find Republican allies willing to reach across the aisle for the sake of putting Americans back to work.

For months Republicans have wasted our time on partisan politics.

They have used unrelated amendments and procedural stall tactics to kill good pieces of legislation that have always had the support of Republicans and Democrats.

They blocked reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration, which created 314,000 jobs by spurring private investing using public grants awarded over the last five years. The EDA has worked with local businesses and universities in economically challenged areas to create jobs for 45 years.

And for nearly two months they held up efforts to pass a long-term reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation and Research Program before finally killing the bill altogether. This legislation would have helped more small technology companies – which invented everything from the electric toothbrush to armor for the Bradley tank – to innovate, grow and put Americans back to work.

The failure of these two pieces of legislation alone cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Republicans’ obstructionist tactics also cost time. And every moment wasted on procedural hurdles or useless amendments was a moment we weren’t creating jobs.

As Republicans held up the work of Congress for months in the hopes of defeating the President, they also held up our economic recovery.

We saw the toll in last month’s jobs report, which showed unemployment holding steady. That report should be a wakeup call to my colleagues on the other side.

It gives me hope that the Senate is now moving forward with the America Invents Act. It will reform this nation’s outdated patent system and create 270,000 jobs. And it will clear a three-year backlog of patent applications, so American inventors can take the next iPod or electric car from the drawing board to the production line.

I hope that spirit of bipartisanship continues. Because this Congress and this country cannot afford to waste any more time.

There are two things we must do this month that would create jobs right away. First, we must extend the authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, safeguarding both airline passengers and aviation jobs. This legislation will protect 280,000 workers, including tens of thousands of construction workers, from layoffs at a time when jobs are already tough to find.

Second, we must authorize federal spending for this nation’s highways. About 1.8 million construction jobs on highway and mass transit projects nationwide are at stake.

But we should also consider any bipartisan idea to get our economy humming again.

Here are two ideas that Republicans have supported in the past: payroll tax cuts and an extension of Unemployment Insurance.

Extending the payroll tax cut could save 972,000 American jobs in 2012. Extending Unemployment Insurance during these tough economic times would save 528,000 American jobs.

Speaker Boehner and Leader Cantor wrote to the President yesterday, saying “our differences [should] not preclude us from taking action in areas where there is common agreement.”

I agree. Let’s start with the four commonsense, bipartisan measures I’ve just mentioned. They would create or save more than 2 million jobs.

So I urge my Republican colleagues, and in particular to Republican leaders, to remember these words: “our differences [should] not preclude us from taking action in areas where there is common agreement.”

“Today’s news that unemployment fell to the lowest rate in two years and we added 216,000 jobs, marking the strongest two-month stretch of private sector hiring in years, is more evidence that our economy continues to recover.

“But even as our economy turns around, many people in Nevada and across the country continue to struggle. To keep moving in the right direction, we need to focus on creating jobs, and not be distracted by Republicans who are more interested in waging partisan battles than focusing on the concerns of middle class families who are sitting at the kitchen table wondering how to make ends meet. This is why we need to ignore the Tea Party’s demand that we pass a reckless spending bill that would destroy 700,000 American jobs, and instead work across the aisle to find common ground that cuts spending while protecting our fragile economic recovery.”