Reid on Nevada jobless jump

Sen. Harry Reid said this morning the news that Nevada's unemployment rate rose to 13 percent in December "should serve as a reminder to everyone that we must remain focused on a more aggressive effort to strengthen the economy and put people back to work."

Reid said he continues to put faith in the state's renewable energy potential as a solution.

“Taking full advantage of Nevada’s clean energy resources will put tens of thousands of Nevadans to work, while protecting our state’s economy during times when tourism takes a dip," he said.

Reid also sought to remind people that the state's unemployment problem predates the Obama administration.

“To the Nevada families struggling to make ends meet, please understand that it took years to get into this hole and it will take time to dig ourselves out but I refuse to give up and will continue to work as hard as I can to create more jobs and help you make this year better than the last.”

Here is Reid's statement in full:

“The increase in Nevada’s unemployment rate should serve as a reminder to everyone that we must remain focused on a more aggressive effort to strengthen the economy and put Nevadans back to work.  It’s a reminder that stimulus money the state receives must be put to use without delay and that diversifying our state’s economy is the key to Nevada’s long-term economic stability.  People are frustrated and they want action.  Now is the time to set aside partisanship and stop bickering.
 
 “Taking full advantage of Nevada’s clean energy resources will put tens of thousands of Nevadans to work, while protecting our state’s economy during times when tourism takes a dip.  We took a major step in that direction just last week with the announcement of an agreement to build the state’s first energy transmission line between northern and southern Nevada.  In addition to the hundreds of construction jobs the project will create, the existence of the transmission line will attract more renewable energy companies to Nevada, resulting in more construction projects that will create thousands of good paying jobs for Nevadans.
 
“To the Nevada families struggling to make ends meet, please understand that it took years to get into this hole and it will take time to dig ourselves out but I refuse to give up and will continue to work as hard as I can to create more jobs and help you make this year better than the last.”