Bush to deliver blueprint Feb. 28

Federal agencies should have a better idea of what their funding outlookwill be at the end of the month, when President Bush releases his preliminarybudget for fiscal 2002.

Bush will submit his economic blueprint on Feb. 28, one day after the presidentaddresses a joint session of Congress.

The administration met with many key budget officials in the executive branchduring the transition and over the past month. The president met Thursdaywith the Republican members of the House and Senate Budget Committees, andhe soon will meet with the Democratic members, White House spokesman AriFleischer said.

As expected, the administration is taking at close look at spending on alllevels. "The president believes that we can have a moderate and reasonablerate of growth in spending, but nowhere near what it has been in the past,"Fleischer said in his briefing Thursday.