Lawrence Ari Fleischer

“ Is there a point at which this White House cannot go as far as adding money to the education budget in '02, and is that a complication -- MR. FLEISCHER: In the President's point of view, if throwing money at education were the answer, our educational system would have been improved years and years ago. The key to improving education is to enact reforms that are focused on accountability and on consequences and on strong standards. ”

“ If the focus on the bill of rights is on the issues that involve people's health care, such as a woman's right to go see her OB/GYN without going to first a gatekeeper or a primary physician, if it involves somebody's right to go to an emergency room without having to first dial an 800 number, then our nation will have a patient bill of rights that this President will sign. ”

“ Well, the President is determined to bring fiscal restraint to Washington. And the President wants to make certain that people do not -- again, as they've done in the last several years -- engage in excessive spending. Excessive spending risks reaching into the Social Security trust funds and that's not something the President would support. So the President will send a signal that Congress should be careful not to engage in excessive spending. Q Does the President think he can get his faith-based initiatives and also school vouchers through this new Senate? ”

“ And so, regardless of whatever the makeup of the Senate is, the President will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans alike to get them to pass his agenda, which includes now that tax relief is final and will shortly be signed into law, it includes education reform, which is a very bipartisan matter pending before the Congress as we speak. It includes moving forward on faith-based initiatives to help solve some of the worst social problems in our nation. ”

“ As a matter of routine, the President believes that something is severely wrong with the budget process, if everybody quickly, after they pass one budget says, the budget we've just passed is flawed, therefore we need in the next couple months to send you an additional one to get more money, it's part of the tendency of Washington to spend money, because it's easy to spend money. ”

“ FERC is an independent agency, and makes its determinations based on what it views as right or wrong. But let me remind everybody here, that this issue is not new to this administration. In early January, Californians came calling to Washington, in the last days of the Clinton administration -- and as you know, the Clinton administration was rather busy in its final days -- and they, too, sought price caps. And price caps were not granted by the Clinton administration at that time. ”

“ If you have a tax cut that policy makers assume will be extended, doesn't that have to fit within the larger mathematics, and arithmetic, to use your word, of how to fit prescription drug benefits? MR. FLEISCHER: Sure, all budget decisions have to fit within the arithmetic, absolutely. Q Ari, are you planning any kind of an overture to the new Senate leadership next week? And will the change in power change the way you do business in any way? You, the White House? ”

“ Again, the President makes the case that the last thing that anybody should do at a time of energy shortage is to make the shortage worse. And that price caps will result in increased demand and in lower supply and therefore have the exact worse effect you could want to have, if your goal is to help people, and if your goal is to protect the economy. Q I know that boilerplate argument. But this idea of suing FERC, is there legal ground to sue FERC for price caps, given their finding that electricity prices in California were not just and reasonable? ”

“ And it's also -- the price is also driven by the availability of infrastructure to deliver that supply, at a time when our capacity for utilization in this country under refineries is running at approximately 96 percent. Even if more supply were to come on the market from OPEC, until refinery capacity goes up, it's going to be harder to get that supply to markets, particularly in the tight summer months, particularly in regard to some of the local different -- difficulties that are created as a result of the 15 or so different recipes for reformulated gasoline across the country. ”

“ The President does think that the prices should come down. That's why he has announced the energy policy that he has, and that's why there are quiet diplomatic conversations underway with OPEC. It's not a secret, Helen, I just indicated it. Q Ari, earlier this morning, you suggested that the press corps should, in your words, very carefully think through follow-up questions on the matter relating to Jenna and Barbara. Since the White House is not going to issue a statement, can you tell us if you believe that coverage of the episode yesterday is a legitimate occupation for the press? ”

“ Q Where is he on entertaining this idea of regular meetings with moderate Republicans and a greater outreach toward them, not just by saying to conservatives, look, there are some moderate folks here that I have to take care of, but actually talking to the moderates? MR. FLEISCHER: The President is always open to good meetings. Q Back on the education bill, Senator Kennedy will be the new Chairman, Senator Harkin will be the Appropriations Sub-committee Chairman over Education. Both have made it clear they would like to see more money in the '02 budget for education. ”

“ And he will also make remarks that are a preface to his upcoming trip to Europe. He will talk about the strong trans-Atlantic ties between the United States and our European allies. On Thursday, the President will make remarks at the fourth national summit on fatherhood in Washington. He will also have a photo opportunity with the 2001 Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens. You can also anticipate that the President, at some point next week, at an event at the White House, will sign the tax legislation into law. ”

“ The President believes that's the most effective way to conduct those conversations. Q They are asking for generally -- you can just say generally, not specifically, that they're asking for larger supply? MR. FLEISCHER: Those discussions? It's a reminder to the oil-producing nations that we are interrelated economy, and that to the degree that energy prices go to unacceptably high levels in the United States, that it hurts all nations as a result of our interconnections economically. ”

“ The President continues to believe that it is important to develop energy supplies, so that the United States can secure its long-term energy future. We'll see exactly where the votes are, but it's something the President does think is important. Q Ari, one of the criticisms of the tax cut bill is that it's too backloaded, and that in order to get everything in the $1.35 trillion framework, expensive provisions like the estate tax bill that kick in 2010. ”

“ The Secret Service's mission is to protect the lives of the people, regardless of who they are. That's their charge, that's their mission. Q Ari, with all due respect, they are also a law enforcement agency, and they're charged with upholding the law. ”

“ Any time people see each other, former presidents see each other -- it's a rare occasion when former presidents get together. And despite any differences in politics, former presidents meet, and a current president and former president meet, there is no -- Q There is going to be a meeting between them? ”

“ The President makes all his decisions on personnel based on the merits of the people that he would seek to name. And in terms of -- I think your word was mau-mau, mau-mauing regulators, for example, Governor Wilson has had some interesting things to say about members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. ”

“ He's proposed a record increase in funding for the Department of Education. It's the largest area in his budget that receives an increase. But clearly, money alone is not the answer. And the President hopes that people will not take the approach, let's just see how much money we can throw at education. That's not the most productive approach. Q Ari, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle up on the Hill expect a supplemental budget request to be around $30 billion. ”

“ So that clearly is an important, helpful step forward in making sure that parents have educational options beyond narrow choices, that they have more options available to them. Q So he is not likely to raise the voucher issue again under this Senate then? MR. FLEISCHER: If he were convinced that the votes were there, then I think the President would be very pleased to proceed. Q Can you just explain why he is going to Moakley's funeral tomorrow? Their relationship? And I think President Clinton is going to be there. Does he have any plans to meet with President Clinton? ”