The Council on Jobs and Competitiveness spearheaded in 2011 by President Barack Obama will expire Thursday and the White House has no intention of renewing it, the Associated Press reported.
Republicans have pointed to the council’s expiration as the latest example of Obama’s failure to revamp the economy. Obama himself only met sparingly with the council, which never seemed to gain traction after its creation two years ago.
From the AP:
When Obama in January 2011 formed his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, unemployment was hovering above 9 percent. Two years president later, more than 12 million people in the U.S. are out of work. The unemployment rate has improved to 7.8 percent, but both parties agree that’s still too high.
A provision in Obama’s executive order establishing the council says it sunsets on Thursday. A White House official said the president does not plan to extend it.
Officials said the president always intended for the council to fulfill its mission and then wind down, and said that Obama would continue to actively engage and seek input from business leaders about ways to accelerate job-creation and economic growth. Among the steps Obama plans to pursue are expedited permits for infrastructure projects, the White House said.
