Rep. Jeb Hensarling reading the Democrats’ health care reform bill, on November 3. 2009. (Photo: Jeb Hensarling Web site/Flikr)

(CNSNews.com) - House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) says the June unemployment rate shows that Democrats are making things worse, not better:

“Today's numbers are sadly not a surprise but another sign that President Obama's spending agenda did not help our jobs crisis--it made it worse. They are a reminder that 20 million Americans remain unemployed, are only working part-time, or have stopped looking for jobs altogether because they simply aren’t out there. Times are tough, and the Democrats’ refusal to tackle the major impediments to job creation is only making them tougher, for longer,” Hensarling said in a statement.

The Labor Department on Friday said the economy generated only 18,000 net jobs in June – the fewest in nine months. The unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent.

“Unemployment has now stayed above eight percent for a devastating 29 months in a row,” Hensarling noted. He blamed Obama’s economic policies for the “deficit of confidence” among job creators.

“Massive spending and massive new regulations have left job creators lacking confidence in their ability to stay afloat. Our massive debt, produced in large part by the president’s signature initiatives, has forced businesses and investors to keep capital on the sidelines because they know that such debt will lead to massive taxes to pay for it. Countless job opportunities have been taken overseas.”

Hensarling said the way to create jobs is to stop the federal government from spending money it doesn’t have. That’s what Republicans are trying to do, he added:

“So far this year, House Republicans have passed a series of major bills to cut wasteful spending, roll back red tape, increase American energy production, and reduce our debt so that certainty can be restored and job creation can be resumed. These bills directly tackle the main causes of our economic distress, and it’s time for Senator Harry Reid and President Obama to consider them.”