WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 4, 2012) Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics unveiled the April unemployment statistics, showing the economy gained 115,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate dropped slightly to 8.1 percent. The following is a statement from BlueGreen Alliance Executive Director David Foster:

“Last year at this time, unemployment was at 9 percent and the economy was still losing jobs. Today we’ve translated strategic investments into millions of jobs created. But twenty-six straight months of private sector job growth is not a fluke, it’s the result of federal investments in clean energy and manufacturing that we need to continue.

“When Congress convenes next week on infrastructure, they must move quickly and send a transportation bill based on the Senate’s approach — which garnered strong bipartisan support — to the President’s desk. This will help put millions of unemployed back to work in good paying construction and manufacturing jobs building the cleaner, more efficient infrastructure America needs to compete in the 21^st century economy. The last transportation bill expired nearly three years ago. Congress can and we must do better on behalf of all Americans.”