White House urges Senate to move on supplemental spending

The White House urged the Senate Tuesday to move quickly on the supplemental spending measure designed mainly to boost defense spending.

"The President is concerned that if too much time elapses, and [Senate leaders] take it up too late into the summer, it will too late to do any good," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said.

Fleischer declined to demand the measure be completed this week, saying instead it should be acted on "as quickly as possible."

Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., over the weekend criticized Democrats for not putting the measure to a vote this week.