U.S. President George W. Bush called a news conference at the White House on Wednesday and urged the Democratic-controlled Congress to approve bills on issues including spending, education and healthcare.
"We're now more than halfway through October, and the new leaders in Congress have had more than nine months to get things done for the American people," Bush said at the beginning of the news conference. "Now the clock is winding down."
The Bush's first White House news conference since Sept. 20 came a day before the Democratic-controlled House would try to override his veto of a popular children's health program.
Bush urged Congress to "put politics aside and seek common ground to reauthorize" the popular children's health program.
The Congress proposed a bill that would provided an extra 35 billion U.S. dollars to the children's health program over five years raised through tobacco product taxes, but Bush vetoed it for it being "too costly" since he only nodded an extra 5 billion dollars to expand the program.
On an eavesdropping bill that the House of Representatives is set to vote on Wednesday, Bush said "Congress needs to move forward, not backward, so we can ensure intelligence professionals have the tools they need to protect us."
The bill would expand court oversight of government electronic surveillance in the United States but the White House has threatened to veto the bill unless substantive changes are made.
The president also noted that Congress has not sent a single appropriation bill for the 2007-2008 fiscal year that started from Oct. 1.
"The two houses need to work out their differences on these bills and get them to my desk as soon as possible. They also need to pass the remaining spending bills, one at a time, and in a fiscally responsible way."
Bush also urged Congress to work on various trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea for expanded access to overseas markets that would benefit American workers, farmers and small businesses.
On the issue of military veterans, Bush said that the Congress should pass legislation to modernize and improve U.S. system of care for wounded warriors and complete the veterans' affairs appropriations bill.
Noting "Congress has work to do for law enforcement and the judiciary," Bush said he hopes the Senate Judiciary Committee to vote on the nomination of Michael B. Mukasey for the Attorney General this week and send it to the full Senate for a vote next week.
"Confirming federal judges is one of the most important responsibilities of the Senate, and the Senate owes it to the American people to meet that responsibility in a timely way."
Source: Xinhua
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