The Department of Labor says the March Jobs Report claims the economy added just over 216,000 jobs in March 2011 making the national unemployment rate drop to 8.8%.

Congressman Sanford Bishop is weighing in on the unemployment ratings by releasing the following statement:

“The March jobs report is another indication that our economy is moving in the right direction.  The addition of 230,000 private sector jobs – the 13^th consecutive month of private sector job growth – and a drop in the national unemployment rate for the fourth straight month is a direct result of the steps Democrats took to reduce taxes on small businesses and increase incentives for business investment.

While it’s clear our economy has made some progress, the unemployment rate nationally, and in Georgia, is still too high.  We have a long way to go before our economy fully recovers, and Democrats and Republicans must come together and find ways to reduce spending without sacrificing critical investments in education, infrastructure, and agriculture research that we know create jobs and grow our economy.”