June 20, 2008

 Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today released the following statement regarding the increase of more than half a percent in unemployment in Nevada from April to May 2008. Nevada’s jobless rate of 6.2 percent is its highest mark in more than 20 years:

“This is terrible news for the people of Nevada and our state’s economy. There was once a time when people thought Nevada was immune to national economic downturns, but this time, it’s different. Our nationwide struggle appears even more acute in Nevada because of the struggling housing market and rising costs of fuel and energy. Unfortunately, this leads to job loss in many important industries.

“People in Nevada and across the nation need help. Even those fortunate enough to have jobs have difficulty paying for the gas it takes to get them there. Tens of thousands of Nevada families are facing foreclosure. And families are struggling to put food on the table with the rising price of groceries. It’s time for a change from the failed Bush-McCain policies that have placed our country in the economic mess it is in today.

“We must support our Nevada economy with energy reform to strengthen tourism and strong housing legislation to stabilize and kick-start Nevada’s housing industry that supplies so many jobs in good times.”

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