"...we should be examining all the factors surrounding this issue – even when it’s just a handful of people abusing the system.”
Marietta – Speaking to constituents at a town hall meeting this week in Jackson County, a county plagued by drug abuse, Congressman Bill Johnson highlighted a long-standing concern about the continued burdens on business owners. In addition to over-regulation from Washington bureaucrats, additional costs from Obamacare, and a weak economy under President Obama, some business owners are now reporting the inability to fill some jobs because applicants cannot pass a drug test.
While Congressman Johnson believes strongly that the vast majority of people on unemployment are honest, law-abiding, and aggressively looking for jobs; he feels that the handful of drug users manipulating the system are beginning to create a serious problem that should be addressed.
“I will continue to work with law enforcement officials, business owners, and groups that advocate for job-creation, to help put an end to this unfortunate practice,” Johnson stated. “Just because only a small percentage of people on unemployment are abusing the system doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do all we can to protect those benefits so they are available to all those who need them.”
Johnson also pointed to a recent report from the Director of the Center for Labor Markets and Policy at Drexel University, who stated that as much as 25% of unemployment can be traced to factors such as substance abuse. “Most of our unemployment problem stems from overregulation, over-taxation, and the Obama economy,” Johnson concluded. “But we should be examining all the factors surrounding this issue – even when it’s just a handful of people abusing the system.”
Johnson says he’s gotten a positive response from people who hear his message, and hopes to shed light on this problem through publicity and more town hall meetings.
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