Biden says Friday's jobs report shows COVID-19 relief bill is urgently needed

[March 06, 2021]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday the latest job report shows job gains are too slow and his COVID-19 relief bill is urgently needed to boost the economy.

President Joe Biden receives an economic briefing in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Tom Brenner

Employers added 379,000 jobs in February and January gains were revised higher to 166,000 jobs, the Labor Department said on Friday. The pickup comes after employers cut jobs late last year.

Biden, speaking ahead of an economic briefing by top advisers including U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, said: "Without a rescue plan, these gains are going too slow. We can't afford one step forward, two steps backward."

(Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw and Trevor Hunnicut; Editing by Chris Reese)

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