Black Caucus Attacks Joblessness

A key function of the bill under review by Miller's committee would be to steer money directly to municipalities for directly funding job creation, a recurring theme of the hearing. "Unless we can get people working … tax credits really don't work," Rangel said at the start of the meeting.

"For too long, including under the [American Recovery and Reinvestment Act], Washington has mistakenly relied on the states to deliver … job creation resources," Palmer said. "We need this bill enacted not tomorrow, but right now."

Witnesses offered explanations for African-Americans' disproportionate numbers among the chronically unemployed. Gaps in education and training, insufficient job networking and persistent discrimination in the labor market are key problems, said Wilhelmina Leigh, senior research associate at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, based in Washington.

Jealous estimated that 30 percent of publicly funded job openings are posted where the general public doesn't see them.

"It is about making sure that all people who are seeking work are seeing the jobs that their tax dollars are helping to create," he said.

Weight given to credit checks and background checks is often arbitrary. That can cripple African-Americans job seekers, panelists said.

"We need to really think about what's appropriate information in terms of screening job applicants," said Algernon Austin, director of the Economic Policy Institute's Program on Race, Ethnicity and the Economy. "Credit checks are often not appropriate," said Austin, who also expressed concern for ex-offenders facing many additional barriers to employment. Leigh of the Joint Center sees merit in hiring ex-offenders: grateful for an opportunity, they prove their value through hard work, she said.

High on the list of concerns from panelists was summer jobs for African-American teens. The teen unemployment rate rose from 16.3 percent in August 2007 to 42 percent in February, said Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington. Baker suggested expanded work-sharing, which allows employers to supplement their payroll with tax credits. New York, California and 15 states already have such a program in place, Baker said. Others testifying linked the green movement to job creation.

Jesse Jackson suggested that jobs in local public transportation be classified as green jobs, a move that would unlock federal funds for communities. "We can bail out the banks in the name of urgency, but not link to the neediest people," said Jackson. "The rising wave has not lifted the boat."