June 14 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush's job approval rating is at 37 percent, up 1 percentage point, in a NBC News and the Wall Street Journal poll taken after the death of terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the formation of a new government in Iraq.

Approval for Bush's job performance remains less than 40 percent for the seventh straight survey, NBC reported. The approval of the job of Congress was 23 percent, the poll found.

Forty-nine percent of registered voters want a Democratic- controlled Congress after November's elections, while 38 percent would like Republicans to retain control. That 11-point gap compares with a six-point advantage for Democrats in an April poll by the two news organizations.

The survey of 1,002 adults was conducted from June 9-12 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, NBC said.

Zarqawi was the most wanted terrorist in Iraq, with a $25 million U.S. bounty on his head. He was killed during a coalition raid June 7 north of Baghdad.

Bush, who made a surprise visit to Baghdad this week, said today the new Iraqi government has the desire and will to take control of the country.

The U.S. won't reduce its force of 133,000 troops in Iraq until the government is firmly established and can secure and defend the country, Bush said yesterday in Baghdad and at today's news conference.

``Don't count on us leaving before the mission is complete,'' he said at the White House.

To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Drajem in Washington at mdrajem@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: June 14, 2006 22:47 EDT