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The national unemployment rate was just above 6 percent in September 2008, but soon began a steady climb. By October 2009, it had peaked at just over 10 percent.

Tsongas said the job market has since stabilized, thanks in part to a variety of measures passed in Congress. Now, she said the focus has shifted to replacing the jobs already lost.

To keep manufacturing jobs in the country, Tsongas said federal lawmakers have successfully closed loopholes that once encouraged sending jobs overseas.

Tsongas said the small business bill that was signed into law last month also offers eight different tax cuts for small business owners and will help increase their access to credit.

"Everybody has been affected one way or the other by the economy," Tsongas said. "The small business bill is critically important on that front."

Statewide unemployment figures for September will be released next week.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Massachusetts for August was 8.8 percent, down slightly after 11 consecutive months at 9 percent or higher, according to statistics from the state's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The state unemployment rate has consistently remained slightly below the national average. But locally, the numbers are higher.

Lawrence has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 16.7 percent. There were 5,225 unemployed residents in the city in August, compared to 2,945 in Haverhill (9.1 percent) and 2,389 in Methuen (9.9 percent).

In Lawrence, Tsongas said business owners including New Balance and developer Sal Lupoli have put people to work with the help of wagebased tax incentives, which the Democrat said she will vote to extend. She said she also wants to establish a permanent program offering research and development tax credits to businesses.

"Businesses need federal support to continuously invest in new research and products," she said.

Last month, Tsongas introduced a bill seeking tax relief for entrepreneurs who were forced to draw from their personal retirement accounts to support their small businesses. Under the bill, the withdrawals would be treated as loans, and the business owners would become eligible for refunds on associated incoming

5 tons of ivory tusks destroyed in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) Philippine government workers used a backhoe and an incinerator Friday to crush and burn more than five tons of smuggled elephant tusks worth an estimated $10 million in the biggest known destruction of trafficked ivory outside Africa.

The national unemployment rate was just above 6 percent in September 2008, but soon began a steady climb. By October 2009, it had peaked at just over 10 percent.

Tsongas said the job market has since stabilized, thanks in part to a variety of measures passed in Congress. Now, she said the focus has shifted to replacing the jobs already lost.

To keep manufacturing jobs in the country, Tsongas said federal lawmakers have successfully closed loopholes that once encouraged sending jobs overseas.

Tsongas said the small business bill that was signed into law last month also offers eight different tax cuts for small business owners and will help increase their access to credit.

"Everybody has been affected one way or the other by the economy," Tsongas said. "The small business bill is critically important on that front."

Statewide unemployment figures for September will be released next week.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Massachusetts for August was 8.8 percent, down slightly after 11 consecutive months at 9 percent or higher, according to statistics from the state's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The state unemployment rate has consistently remained slightly below the national average. But locally, the numbers are higher.

Lawrence has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 16.7 percent. There were 5,225 unemployed residents in the city in August, compared to 2,945 in Haverhill (9.1 percent) and 2,389 in Methuen (9.9 percent).

In Lawrence, Tsongas said business owners including New Balance and developer Sal Lupoli have put people to work with the help of wagebased tax incentives, which the Democrat said she will vote to extend. She said she also wants to establish a permanent program offering research and development tax credits to businesses.

"Businesses need federal support to continuously invest in new research and products," she said.

Last month, Tsongas introduced a bill seeking tax relief for entrepreneurs who were forced to draw from their personal retirement accounts to support their small businesses. Under the bill, the withdrawals would be treated as loans, and the business owners would become eligible for refunds on associated incoming

5 tons of ivory tusks destroyed in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) Philippine government workers used a backhoe and an incinerator Friday to crush and burn more than five tons of smuggled elephant tusks worth an estimated $10 million in the biggest known destruction of trafficked ivory outside Africa.