U.S. Congressman Marlin Stutzman issued this statement following the release of the October jobs report.

“I am happy to see that more Americans found work in the month of October. However, the sad reality is that tens of millions of people are still struggling to find a good paying job. They deserve an economic environment that will allow them to find opportunities, provide for their families and build a bright future.”

“It has become explicitly clear that more taxes, more regulations and more spending do not provide a formula for growth. We need common sense conservative reforms that will stimulate the economy and create jobs. Determined to turn things around, House Republicans have passed dozens of jobs bills that are still stuck in the Senate. This kind of obstruction has only slowed our recovery.”

“Now that the midterm elections are over, I am hopeful that politics and partisanship will be put aside and both parties can come together to enact legislation that will strengthen America both at home and abroad.”

The report showed a decrease in both the total number of individuals unemployed in America (9 million), as well as the rate of unemployment (5.8 percent). On the other hand, the number of long-term unemployed individuals remained virtually unchanged at over 2.9 million people. The number of discouraged workers also held steady at around 770,000 individuals. The report defines discouraged workers as “persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them.”