WASHINGTON, DC— U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement in response to new employment figures released today by Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry, which showed a significant drop in the unemployment rate: “The drop in the unemployment rate for Pennsylvania, from 8.5 percent in December 2010 to 8.2 percent in January 2011, is a positive sign that the Pennsylvania economy continues on the path to recovery. The manufacturing sector, a bright spot in our recovery, added 4,100 jobs – the single largest increase since June 2000. We are seeing an increase of jobs in the Construction, Education & Health Services and Mining & Logging sectors that point to companies hiring new employees. “Tomorrow, national employment figures for February 2011 will be released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and I hope the economic indicators continue to point toward an economic recovery across the nation. “However,