Bush meets with GOP leaders on tax plan

WASHINGTON, April 30 (UPI) -- Republican congressional leaders trooped to the White House Wednesday for talks with President George W. Bush on the administration's continued push for at least $550 billion in across-the-board tax cuts.

The meeting with the GOP's Senate and House leaders lasted 45 minutes. On Tuesday night, Bush met with Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.

"There are a number of ideas that are now starting to publicly flow off Capitol Hill (on the tax package," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said. "And that's one of the reasons the president met today with the leadership.

" ... I'm not going to be able to negotiate the president's position publicly, but there are a variety of different ways, when it comes to tax policy, to achieve the president's goals, and the president's going to work productively with Congress to find those ways."

Bush's original economic growth package envisaged more than $700 billion in tax cuts, including accelerated cuts previously approved, repeal of the so-called marriage penalty tax, new child credits and an end to double taxation of stock dividends.

Bush argues such cuts would spur economic growth and help pull America out of recession by giving businesses more money to reinvest and create jobs. Critics, however, argued it would lead to greater deficits and that a time of war and war spending was certainly an inappropriate time to give up government revenue.

The House has placed a $550 billion cap on tax cuts. In the Senate, some hope to gain legislation that would provide for more than the $350 billion figure now being bandied about.

"We want to fight for as high a number as possible," Sen Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said Wednesday after meeting with Bush.

The White House said other topics for discussion Wednesday included administration proposals for reforming Medicare, providing prescription drugs to seniors and passage of an energy reform bill.

Congress has about two more weeks in session before it is to adjourn for the summer.