The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the national unemployment rate in August remained unchanged from July at 9.1 percent -- meaning 14 million Americans are still out of work. With President Barack Obama scheduled to give a major jobs address on Thursday, the field of Republican presidential candidates took aim at his administration’s job policies.

The numbers released on Friday showed that 8.9 percent of adult men, 8 percent of adult women and 25.4 percent of teenagers remained out of work. Asian-Americans are doing better than other racial groups in the job market with only 7.1 percent of them unemployed. This compares to 8 percent of whites out of work, 11.3 percent of Hispanics and 16.7 percent of blacks.

Federal officials noted on Friday that the employment numbers have changed little since April.

“Average job growth over the last four months has been markedly lower than during the first four months of the year. In August, employment changed little in most major industries,” noted Keith Hall, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on Friday. “Health care added 30,000 jobs over the month, with most of the gains occurring in ambulatory health care services and in hospitals. In professional and business services, employment in computer systems design and related services increased by 8,000. Mining employment continued to trend up.

“In the information sector, employment fell by 48,000 over the month, largely reflecting a strike by 45,000 telecommunications workers,” continued Hall. "Manufacturing employment was essentially unchanged in August. For the past four months, manufacturing has added an average of 14,000 jobs per month, compared with an average of 35,000 per month for the first four months of the year.

"Local government employment continued to trend down in August,” added Hall. “State government employment was little changed, despite the return of an estimated 22,000 Minnesota state employees following a partial government shutdown in July.”

U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis spoke on behalf of the Obama administration on the jobless numbers on Friday.

"The private sector added 17,000 jobs in August, but those gains were offset by the loss of 17,000 government jobs. Total nonfarm unemployment, therefore, was unchanged last month. The unemployment rate also remained unchanged at 9.1 percent,” noted Solis. “Consumer confidence dropped sharply last month as Congress took the nation to the brink of default. We knew that this legislative gridlock was going to have repercussions, and the hiring slowdown reflected in today's report shows the real-life consequences that political gamesmanship has on business decisions and workers' lives. These numbers are a stark reminder that actions -- and inaction -- on Capitol Hill have consequences.”

Solis pointed to the speech Obama is scheduled to give on Thursday on employment.

"Next Thursday, President Obama will outline a bipartisan plan to create jobs and generate growth that pulls the best ideas from both political parties. If Congress is serious about job creation, the package will pass,” said Solis. “The time for partisan bickering is over. The American people are fed up. Concerned citizens need to get engaged in this process, contact their leaders in Congress and hold them accountable.”

Responding to the report, the field of Republican presidential candidates slammed Obama’s record on jobs and the economy