May 21, 2010

Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today made the following statement on the news that Nevada’s unemployment rate increased to 13.7 percent in April.

“My thoughts are with the Nevadans who are struggling to find a job and the family members who share their frustration.  I want them to know that I have been working hard to take steps to help create jobs so we can put more Nevadans back to work and I won't stop until our state's economy is back on track.

“Last night the Senate passed important legislation that addresses one of the biggest factors that led to our country's current economic crisis: abuses on Wall Street.  This bill holds Wall Street accountable for the reckless behavior that cost Nevadans their jobs, their homes and their life savings; and it takes steps to prevent this situation from happening again.

“I will also continue my efforts to invest in Nevada's clean energy industry as a way to diversify our economy so the next time the national economy suffers our state isn't hit quite as hard.  We have projects underway that have Nevadans building facilities to develop solar and geothermal energy.  We have projects that will soon begin to put thousands to work building a transmission line, a wind turbine manufacturing plant and a natural gas and solar plant near Mesquite.  Nevada’s economic security, in part, lies with the sun, the wind, the heat of the earth and the development of clean energy technology.  I will continue working with my fellow Nevadans to make the most of these resources so we can put people to work and get our state back on the road to prosperity.

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