Washington, D.C. —Today, Congressman Duncan Hunter, sponsor of H.R. 4128, the Real Unemployment Calculation Act in the House of Representatives, released the following statement on the national unemployment report for the month of April: “In order for San Diegans to get back to work, there needs to be stronger job growth than what’s reflected by the monthly jobs report."

"Indeed, there was marginal improvement from the previous month, but it’s important that Americans read between the lines.  A major reason for this month’s gains: labor force participation decreased once again, meaning that more than 300,000 people gave up looking for work altogether.

“It’s not only important that we pursue responsible, pro-growth measures, but it’s also necessary that Congress—and every American with an interest in a high-performing economy—rely on information that accurately reflects the national unemployment situation.”

Hunter introduced H.R. 4128, the Real Unemployment Calculation Act, requiring that for purposes of the federal government, the U-5 calculation by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, be cited as the official unemployment rate. For April, the U-5 rate is 9.5 percent.