Lawrence Ari Fleischer

“ I am pleased to report to you today that Senators Snowe and Feinstein plan to offer an amendment to the agricultural supplemental bill which is being considered on the floor of the Senate today. This deals with an administration concern about a prohibition that ties the administration's hands from reserving options to encourage conservation as part of the National Academy of Science's study on CAFE standards.
We are encouraged by our initial review of the National Academy of Science's study that promotes conservation. And the administration's eager to begin a through review of the report. ”

“ Q Ganske and Dingell have publicly raised concerns about protection of patients on the state level under the current proposal. MR. FLEISCHER: Yes, that's why I indicated that the President has given and Congressman Norwood has given, as part of a healthy, strong process of give-and-take. The question is, will others on the Hill be as equally interested in a good process of give-and-take so that the American consumer and the American patient can get a patient bill of rights signed into law. ”

“ It seems the only thing that's changed is that she's now been nominated by President Bush, so therefore, some Democrat senators are saying they're going to vote against her this time, and they voted for her previously. And for the senators to change their vote simply because with this time President Bush appointing her suggests a new partisan course by the Senate that would be very regrettable. Q So let me ask you this. Why wouldn't the Senate be partisan, and why would you stay with a nominee who is sure to go down to defeat when you want somebody of your choosing to head the Commission? ”

“ Many people don't think the case-fire that you helped negotiate will take hold in the presence of an -- declared target killing of Palestinians that the Israeli government has adopted. What can you say about your efforts to stop the Israeli government from this policy that many people see the cease-fire will not take hold with it? ”

“ The President believes broadly that anything that encourages more voter participation is good for the system. I can only tell you, Ron, what the President did in Texas on that question, and in Texas the President, then governor, signed into law a measure that changed the number of years a felon had to wait for the privilege of voting to be returned, from two years after they left prison and served their probation successfully to zero. So the President has already taken action on that in Texas. ”

“ And I think that's it fair to say that the nation is on the threshold of having a patients' bill of rights that can be signed into law. There is some additional work that does need to be done, but many of the differences that remain are easily bridgeable if others who are working with Congressman Norwood are interested in bridging those differences. Q You say on the threshold. On the threshold of an agreement with Republicans in the House to get a bill through the House, or on the threshold of an agreement that would then carry over to the Senate, which is controlled by the other party? ”

“ And the President wants to make sure that the Congress takes up its work in the same spirit. Q As a guy who wants smaller government, does he support another commission, election commission, that is proposed in this report and spending $1 million to $2 million over the course of the next several years to help states update their election systems? MR. FLEISCHER: The President wants to work with Congress on the amount of funding necessary to help implement this bipartisan report's recommendations and that's where he stands. Q How about on the election commission? Do we need another commission? ”