White House says jobs report shows economy continuing to recover

Friday's strong jobs report shows the U.S. economy is continuing to recover, but it would grow faster if Congress approved job-creation programs, said Alan Krueger, a top economic advisor to President Barack Obama.

"It is critical that we remain focused on pursuing policies to speed job creation and expand the middle class, as we continue to dig our way out of the deep hole that was caused by the severe recession that began in December 2007," Krueger, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, said in a statement.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Vicki Allen)