The country’s No. 1 issue right now is jobs, jobs, jobs. To state the obvious, unemployment is a major problem. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in June, Philadelphia had an 11.9-percent unemployment rate.
Since May, the federal government has paid the salaries of thousands of city workers through the “Way to Work Philadelphia!” program. But employees are at risk of losing their jobs if Congress doesn’t decide to extend funding before the program expires on Sept. 30.
A bill pending in Congress would give an additional $2.5 billion to the emergency fund supporting Way to Work. However, many lawmakers oppose the legislation because it would add to the national deficit.
Given the struggling economy, passing the bill should take precedence over rising costs. Way to Work doesn’t only keep area residents working. It also helps businesses stay staffed, since companies such as The Fresh Grocer employ people through the program. And the legislation would help more than just Philadelphians. The federal funding set to expire has helped to keep over 100,000 adults in jobs nationwide, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
We hope this bill gains traction immediately. When it comes to jobs, Congress should do everything it can to work members’ differences out.
