On Anniversary of Creation of Department of Labor, Lee, Pressley Unveil Bill to Codify Monthly Publication of Jobs Report, Ensure Accurate Picture of Workforce Stability 

Bill Text (PDF) | Bill One-Pager (PDF) 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – MARCH 4, 2026— Today, Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12) and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) introduced the Better Labor Statistics Act, or the BLS Act, legislation that would codify the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ mandate to report unemployment data publicly, online, and at the first Friday of each month to ensure transparency and accuracy in unemployment data collection. The BLS Act would also codify the publication of unemployment data broken down by race and ethnicity, gender, geography, and industry. 

Additionally, the legislation would amend terminology used to describe the Secretary of the Department of Labor to be gender neutral, as language currently exclusively includes male pronouns. 

“At a time when the Trump administration is attempting to scale back how much, how often, and how accurately labor data is reported, we must ensure our labor statistics laws keep pace with the realities working people face every day,” said Rep. Lee. “The Better Labor Statistics Act is about transparency, accountability, and making sure our economic data actually reflects all of us, especially workers and communities too often left out of the picture. When attacks on the independence of the Bureau of Labor Statistics threaten public trust, we must strengthen safeguards and ensure timely, disaggregated data that tells the full story of our economy. When we have honest data, we can fight for policies that truly support workers, including Black women and other communities disproportionately impacted by rising unemployment. This bill is a necessary step toward an economy where everyone is seen, counted, and valued.” 

“Every month, policymakers, businesses, economists, investors, and more require an accurate and detailed report of our nation’s labor market – but the Trump Administration is trying to stand in the way,” said Rep. Pressley. “With unemployment rates rising—and skyrocketing for Black women—and Trump firing workers when he doesn’t like the data they publish, we must codify practices that ensure accuracy and transparency. With detailed reporting, we can support our workers who are being left behind and pushed out of the workforce.”  

The Better Labor Statistics Act is endorsed by the AFL-CIO. 

Text of the bill can be accessed here and a one-pager here. 

Congresswoman Summer Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Education and Workforce. Since taking office in January 2023, she has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2.7 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 3,000 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.