Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling Congress Wednesday that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the Federal Reserve to end its extraordinary stimulus programs.

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew says the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative political groups was "unacceptable and inexcusable" and he has directed the agency's acting director to hold people accountable.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday stood by its extraordinary efforts to stimulate the economy because unemployment remains high at 7.6 percent. The Fed said the economy and job market have been improving only moderately, held back by government spending cuts and tax increases.

Gains in housing and manufacturing propelled the U.S. economy over the winter, according to reports released Tuesday, and analysts say they point to the resilience of consumers and businesses as government spending cuts kick in.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday stood by its efforts to keep borrowing costs at record lows, saying it isn't yet convinced that the U.S. economy's growth can accelerate without significant help from the central bank.

The Federal Reserve's low interest-rate policies are giving key support to an economy still burdened by high unemployment, Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress on Tuesday. Bernanke signaled that the Fed's efforts to keep borrowing costs low will continue.

The federal government reported a rare surplus for January and is on track to run the lowest annual deficit since President Barack Obama took office.

The Treasury Department said Wednesday that it has resumed borrowing now that Congress has approved a temporary measure that allows the government to take on billions of dollars in debt to fund its most basic operations.