Building a wall and making hardworking American families foot the bill through tariffs or trade wars is simply not a viable policy and doesn’t reflect the security needs of our border communities or our economy. Instead of throwing taxpayers’ money at President Trump’s border wall, we should make smart investments to improve infrastructure on the border with the goal of enhancing security, improving transportation safety for local families commuting around the region and facilitating new lawful trade through New Mexico’s ports of entry.

The top Democrat on the committee, Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, ignored the new jobless rate and focused instead on the disappointing payroll gain. “Today’s jobs numbers show there are still challenges ahead that this administration must address,” Mr. Heinrich said. “President Trump promised that he would be ‘the greatest jobs producer that God ever created.’ Democrats on the Joint Economic Committee will hold him to this promise.”

Today’s jobs numbers show there are still challenges ahead that this administration must address. President Trump and Republicans should focus on job creation and raising wages. The success of our economy will be tied to whether we take the bold steps necessary to connect people with the opportunities that will exist tomorrow and help grow the earnings of America’s middle class. A lot of work remains to be done to ensure that all of us have a shot at getting ahead.

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, delivered the following remarks today during the Committee's first hearing of the 115th Congress entitled, “The Decline of Economic Opportunity in the United States: Causes and Consequences.”