Jobs report 'welcome,' business uncertainty remains, House Speaker says

The latest jobs report released Friday was welcome news but nowhere close to where it should be thanks to tax uncertainty and spending plans being put forward by Democrats in the White House and the Senate, House Speaker John Boehner said.

Non-farm payrolls jumped by 244,000 for the month of April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

Total US non-farm payroll now stands at 131.028 million. The unemployment rate rose slightly to 9.0 percent from 8.8 percent because more people were looking for work.

Over the past month, rather than joining Republicans in focusing on policies that promote long-term economic growth to help balance the federal budget, the Democrats who control Washington have indicated they are planning to increase taxes and allow the government's spending binge to continue, Boehner said.

He said such proposed policies were causing renewed uncertainty for private-sector job creators, crowding out private investment.

Boehner's comments come as formal talks with the White House and Senate Democrats continue to seek a way to reduce the nation's long term deficits.

Major changes in the federal budget to reduce the deficits being proposed include reducing costs in the government's health programs and raising taxes.

Boehner has come out against raising taxes, saying it's off the table for negotiations.