Bush Limits Budget Talks To 'Process': Lawmakers Invited To Roosevelt Lecture
-President Bush said yesterday that he will ÛÏsit down and talk process" at a Sunday afternoon budget conference with four key congressional leaders, but suggested that the meeting would not deal with specific measures to bring down the burgeoning budget deficit.</br></br>ÛÏWeÛªre not into a negotiation. WeÛªre talking process," Bush said. ÛÏWe've got to move forward and IÛªve got to find a way to do that.Û Administration sources said they hoped the ÛÏtalks about talksÛ would produce broad congressional and administration negotiating teams to resolve differences on tax and spending issues.</br></br>Democratic congressional lead-' ers were reluctant to say much about the meeting, asserting that they were simply accepting an invitation from the president to attend, among other things, a lecture about Theodore Roosevelt, House Speaker Thomas S. Foley (D-Wash.) said, ÛÏI am going to a lecture on Theodore Roosevelt. If anything else is discussed besides Theodore Roosevelt, I will be glad to listen.Û Bush said at his news conference yesterday that after the lecture ÛÏweÛªll get together and discuss something a little more complicated." ÛÏIf the president asks me to meet with him to discuss any subject, 1 would, of course, do so at any time or place of the president's choosing," said Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Maine), who has been cool to the idea of holdmg budget negotiations with the White House.</br></br>In addition to Foley and Mitchell, Bush has invited Senate Minority Leader Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.) and House Minority Leader Robert H. Michel (R-Ill.) to the Sunday budget conference.</br></br>Congressional leaders stressed that the budget would continue on its normal legislative path. As they have since last yearÛªs grand budget summit, they also said talks with the administration will only be worthwhile if Bush is willing to back off his "read my lips" campaign pledge not to raise taxes. "Sitting down is one thing,Û Foley said. ÛÏWhat we discuss or say or talk about is another. What decisions are made is a third.Û