Washington Report: Updates From the Capitol

April Jobs Numbers Mixed But Show Improvement

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the April jobs report today and the news, according to President Barack Obama, is both encouraging and contradictory. While payrolls increased by 290,000 jobs last month, the overall unemployment rate rose from 9.7% to 9.9%. The jobless rate for African Americans held steady at 16.5%.

“Given the strength of these job numbers, this may seem contradictory, but this increase is largely a reflection of the fact that workers who had dropped out of the workforce entirely are now seeing jobs again and–are now seeking jobs again, encouraged by better prospects,” Obama explained during a brief press conference.

The president noted that productivity and the number of hours that people are working are up and the manufacturing sector saw in April its biggest increase in employment since 1998, thanks to tax incentives, health care reform and other “difficult and at times unpopular steps” the administration has taken. But, he also warned, there is still a lot of work yet to be done.

“The economy is beginning to grow,” said Dr. Thomas Boston, a Georgia Tech economics professor who sits on the BE Board of Economists. “We need about 250,000 every month to absorb new workers and reduce the unemployment rate and we exceeded that. … The economy over the last quarter grew at 3.5%, which exceeded predictions. So things are improving–and more rapidly than most economists have been predicting.”

Obama pledged that he and his economic team would not rest until everyone is able to find a good job and “we’ve put this difficult chapter behind us.”

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-California), chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus cheered the jobs report, saying that the announcement that the economy produced 290,000 jobs in April “is a strong indicator the economy is improving.”

Fattah Seeks Top Spot on Appropriations Panel

Shortly after Rep. David Obey (D-Wisconsin), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee stunned the Democratic caucus on Wednesday with the news that he will retire at the end of his term, Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Philadelphia) announced his bid to succeed Obey. The panel oversees federal discretionary spending.

Fattah, who ranks 21st in terms of seniority, plans to challenge Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Washington), who ranks second and also chairs the Defense appropriations subcommittee. And although he said seniority is very important and should be considered, Fattah also said that the decision rests with the entire Democratic caucus. He also pointed out that Obey became chairman in 1994 by defeating a more senior lawmaker on the committee in a caucus-wide election. Fattah would be the panel’s first African American chairman.

In the meantime, he plans to spend the next several months talking with fellow Democrats about their spending priorities and reassuring them that if he is the chosen one, he will give it his full attention. He also said that he’s ready to make and defend the necessary tough decisions about how government spends money.

“They’ll be choosing between someone who already has responsibility for the committee’s largest subcommittee and someone who could focus full-time on running the full committee,” Fattah said.

That all depends, of course, on House Democrats retaining their majority after the fall elections.

House Passes Home Improvement Rebate Programs

The House added another item to the Senate’s to-do list on Thursday when it passed by a vote of 146 to 161, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010.

Supporters, mostly Democrats, said the bill would strengthen the economy by creating more than 150,000 jobs in construction, manufacturing and retail while also helping Americans save energy and money.

President Barack Obama commended the vote, saying it’s an “important step forward,” and that he looks forward to working with the Senate to make it even better.

H.R. 5019 includes two types of rebates. The Silver Star program would provide rebates of up to $3,000 for specific improvements, such as the installation of energy saving appliances, windows, and doors at the time of sale. In the Gold Star program, homeowners could receive $3,000 if they conduct a comprehensive energy audit and implement measures to reduce energy use for a demonstrated savings of 20% and receive an extra $1,000 for each additional 5% energy savings up to $8,000.

CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-California) said the bill includes resources for training chronically unemployed people who reside in low-income neighborhoods.  “So it’s a win-win. We are not only helping with energy efficiency strategies. But also providing training and creating jobs in our communities.”

Republicans, who oppose the bill, which has been dubbed “Cash for Caulkers,” say that it isn’t an “effective or efficient way” to stimulate private sector job creation. They successfully attached a condition that the $5.7 billion measure could be terminated if Democrats can’t find a way to pay for it.

Commerce Dept. Wants You for Advisory Board
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke is looking for individuals to serve on a National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise (NACMBE). The proposed 25-member advisory board would provide advice and guidance to Locke on such issues as policies to help minority-owned firms improve their access to capital, corporate supply chains, and opportunities to participate in emerging industries.

Ideally, advisory board members will bring to the table a diverse set of skills that will include expertise in emerging growth sectors like energy, healthcare, biotechnology, and smart grid technology, and perspectives based on actual experience about issues that are essential to the success and growth of minority-owned businesses, such as bonding. And, one need not be an entrepreneur to apply. The department also seeks Fortune 500 executives who can help link minority business owners with corporate supply chains.

The original May 3 deadline has been extended to May 10, but the agency is considering extending it to June 30.
“We are looking for gender, ethnic, geographic and industry diversity and want to be sure we have that kind of representation in the nominating pool,” explained Steve Boykin, manager of strategic relations for the Minority Business Development Agency. Commerce also hopes to attract more interest from representatives of major corporations.

Once the NACMBE has been established, business owners will be able to submit their issues and concerns to the group. Before each meeting, said Boykin, a notice will be published in the Federal Register and on a number of databases so that the general public and the agency’s stakeholders can attend or submit questions to the NACMBE.

For more information on how to apply for consideration, click here.

What Washington Will Be Talking About Next Week

A senior Democratic aide tells BlackEnterprise.com that there will be a joint hearing between the House Financial Services panel’s Housing and Community Opportunity subcommittee and its Oversight and Investigations subcommittee on issues impacting minority contracting in the financial services industry. They’re still in the process of reaching out to various black organizations to compile the witness list, but hope the hearing will take place on Wednesday.

Rumors are swirling around Washington that President Barack Obama will announce the name of his second Supreme Court nominee on Monday. When asked about this by reporters during his Friday outdoor press conference on the April jobs report, however, Obama turned on his heels to go back inside the White House, acting as though the question had not even been asked. And, during a mid-day gaggle with reporters, press secretary Robert Gibbs refused to confirm the rumor, but did say that an announcement could come at any time.

Lawmakers are anxious to get a financial regulatory reform bill through the Senate before they take off for their Memorial Day recess. With the help of two Republicans, Senate Democrats were able to knock back a GOP challenge to the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency. House Dems are hoping the Senate will have a complete package for them to review by the end of the coming week.

The House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday to examine the merits of the Restroom Gender Parity in Federal Buildings Act. Also known as the Potty Parity Act, it was introduced by Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-New York) to address the problem of insufficient restroom facilities for women in federal buildings. It’s a bipartisan measure co-sponsored by the panel’s ranking member Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California). Towns told BlackEnterprise.com that he once saw a ladies room line in an airport that was so unfathomably long that he imagined some sort of prizes were being given away. The bill would require a one-to-one ratio for toilets, including urinals, in women’s and men’s restrooms.