U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and his Republican challenger, Tom Smith, offered different perspectives on today’s disappointing national jobs report.

Bob Casey/File photo

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report for June showed that just 80,000 jobs were added, keeping the unemployment rate unchanged at 8.2 percent.

Casey, chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, said in a statement, “Today’s report shows that the private sector continues to add jobs, though not as quickly as we need. The economy has added private sector jobs for the last 28 months, but to lower the unemployment rate we need stronger growth.”

“We still have more work  to do to recover from our losses during the ‘Great Recession.’ Washington must continue to do everything possible to strengthen the economy and help unemployed Americans get back to work,” Casey said.

Tom Smith, file photo/GREG WOHLFORD

Smith, in a statement, said: “Today’s disappointing jobs report reinforces the growing frustration the hardworking American people have with career politicians in Washington.

“For more than 40 consecutive months, the Obama-Casey agenda has left the economy mired in unemployment higher than 8 percent. …  Their failed policies have only produced more spending, more debt and more taxes, but not more paychecks.”

– John Guerriero