WASHINGTON—Today’s employment report marks the fifth straight month of substantial growth, with 661,000 new and returned jobs and the unemployment rate declining to 7.9%. Rachel Greszler, a research fellow in Heritage’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, released the following response:

A path to a faster, stronger recovery will properly balance saving lives and livelihoods by letting Americans safely resume most activities, respecting individuals’ rights to earn a livelihood, and providing the option of in-person education for children.

 

Significant differences in how households and businesses fare across the country is not for lack of federal funding. The recovery lags behind in states where liberal policymakers continue imposing excessive restrictions, closing off income opportunities, and demanding federal bailouts for decades of poor budgeting.

 

The already $3 trillion in COVID-19 spending shows further economic support should come from state and local governments who are best suited to implement policies that save both lives and livelihoods while providing the targeted support necessary to meet Americans unique needs.