U.S. SENATOR BILL FRIST (R-TN) HOLDS MEDIA AVAILABILITY BEFORE CLOSED POLICY LUNCHEON.

Original Source: Political Transcript Wire

(CORRECTED COPY)

SENATOR FRIST HOLDS A MEDIA AVAILABILITY BEFORE CLOSED POLICY LUNCHEON

NOVEMBER 18, 2003

SPEAKERS: U.S. SENATOR BILL FRIST (R-TN) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER

U.S. SENATOR RICK SANTORUM (R-PA)

[*] FRIST: Good afternoon.

We'll be very brief, but I did want to give people a quick update as to where we are in terms of making progress on three very important bills: the energy bill, the Medicare and prescription drug bill, and what is the appropriations process bill, which we all know is the omnibus.

I am here to report that we are making real headway. As most of you know, about three weeks ago I set out a schedule, which was an aggressive schedule, but one which allowed us to address each of the appropriation bills on the floor of the United States Senate. And in a few minutes we will pass the VA-HUD bill conference report. We will roll several of these together into the omnibus bill, and that's progressing very well on a bipartisan basis.

Medicare, we've made tremendous on in a bipartisan way over the last four to five days. As America now knows, the AARP has endorsed this bipartisan effort that is under way and that will deliver to seniors and individuals with disabilities something they've been promised for the last six years, and that is affordable access to prescription drug coverage.

The AARP yesterday said in their press release, "The bill represents an important breakthrough and important milestone in the nation's commitment to strengthen and expand health security of its citizens at a time when it sorely needed."

That endorsement is, indeed, important, that endorsement of the policy that we can deliver to the American people here over the next several days.

I will have to add that, as I woke up this morning, I looked at the headlines in the paper, this increasingly partisan tone or what we heard two days ago, this rejection before having even seen the policy of this bipartisan bill worries me. But the partisan tone this morning in the papers, today's headline, "Democrats hope to deny Bush two major wins," at least suggests a partisan motive that we just can't…