Greenspan: Jobless rate likely to remain high for years

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Sunday that unemployment rates would likely remain high for years.

"It’s very difficult to make the case that unemployment is coming down any time soon," Greenspan said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The government reported last week that the economy lost 20,000 jobs in January, despite the unemployment rate dipping from 10 percent to 9.7 percent. President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats have called for new tax and spending measures to boost the economy. The Senate aims to take up a "jobs bill" this week, while the House passed a $154 billion package in December.

"I think we’re going to stay at this 9 to 10 percent level for the rest of the year," Greenspan said.