Senate Blog Row: Majority Leader Bill Frist

Bill Frist (TN):

Current Senate priorities:

1st - Restore fiscal discipline: cut spending, reduce the deficit, balance the budget.
2nd - Energy independence: elimination of our irresponsible dependence on foreign oil.
3rd - Border security: a problem of national security, fairness, and economics.

On the Patriot Act agreement and whether it will hold:  It's still being negotiated, but it's my intention to keep the Senate here straight through Monday with completing the Patriot Act as our goal.  We're at war and this Act is a bipartisan tool that we have a responsibility to pass now.

On the job of majority leader:  Lead in a direction that is conservative and focuses on the dignity of individuals.  Focus on government, but not with the aim of making it bigger.

On the Harriet Miers nomination: Harriet Miers withdrew herself for reasons she made clear.  No one has given up right to demand up or down vote.

On tax policy (my question):  We tend to have two packages - one on the spending side (mandatory entitlement spending, which is problematic because it's on autopilot) and one on revenue side (14% increase in revenues last years was in large part due to investment tax credits, jobs programs, stimulated growth of capital investment).  The tax package on the floor now is not what I would've designed, but it's what we can get 50 votes on (and I'm going to work hard to improve it).

On 2 Iraq amendments:  The Democratic amendment would've sent exactly the wrong message.  The alternative amendment that we laid out was intended to address the cut and run stance of the Levin proposal.  That stark contrast was what enabled us to get majority support.