MR. FRATTO: Good afternoon, everyone. A quick schedule update, announcement, and then we'll go to questions.

President Bush will welcome Prime Minister Dung of Vietnam to the White House on June 24th. The President welcomes the opportunity to talk to Prime Minister Dung about ways to advance our close bilateral cooperation on a broad range of issues, including ASEAN, the United Nations Security Council, food security and regional economic integration -- you might remember that the President visited Vietnam in November of 2006 -- and we'll have a statement going on shortly for you on that.

Questions. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: I've seen news reports on that. I haven't seen anything official yet, and until we get details and hear more from parties there we're not going to have a comment on it. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Well, I think we really want to see details of any kind of agreement and what the views are of people in the region before we comment on it. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: No, I don't think we've commented on polls and I don't think there's a good reason to start now. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: We don't base what we try to do here by polls. We know people have lots of different views of what's going on out in the political world and what they're hearing. But we try to focus on the policies that we're trying to accomplish for the rest of the way here and not comment on what we hear in one poll or another.

Love to take a look at the composition of those polls, though; I think that's always fun. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: The President wants to be certain that that fund -- that we all understand -- you know the President received a briefing today from Director Nussle and others involved in dealing with the flood disasters in the Midwest.

We do have enough funding in the Disaster Relief Fund right now. We're very confident of that. It is well funded. What his concern is, is that we don't deplete it now and not be able to deal with any potential weather-related disasters or other disasters for the rest of the year.

So he's looking forward, and he believes, as he said, that the place you want to try to deal with emergencies and emergency funding is in an emergency supplemental, which is something that we have on the floor now. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Well, you don't want to have too much, but you don't want to -- you don't want to park money someplace with scarce federal dollars for lots of programs. And if you're parking money in an account that's not being utilized, then you're essentially wasting that money. You want to be very careful to make sure that you have enough, not too much, and use the best estimates that you have to deal with the period of time going forward. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Well, that's something we'll be trying to determine. I think we're going to have to figure out how much this disaster is going to take and the array of other weather-related disasters that FEMA and the other agencies are dealing with, and there's a lot of them. You all reported on them, some of which we've visited, whether it's wildfires or tornado-related disasters.

And so they're expensive. We need to make sure that we get our assessors on the ground and be able to determine -- actually, once the water recedes -- which it is receding from this region right now -- be able to get into these communities and try to make determinations for what's needed, in terms of housing and the kind of infrastructure-related relief and humanitarian relief.

Yes, Peter. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: It's absolutely a concern, and something that we're going to be paying close attention to. We've been paying very close attention to food prices and agriculture, crop prices for a number of months now with what we've seen with prices this year. It's too early to say what the exact impact will be, it will certainly cause disruptions in terms of the food supply coming from that region. So the Agriculture Department is on top of it. They're doing their assessments. They're also waiting for the ability to be able to go into these areas and try to make determinations as to what the crop production would be.

Yes, Roger. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: I don't have that yet. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: It's just not settled yet. We'll try to -- as soon as we have it, I promise you we'll be sharing it with you. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q And is there concern -- Iowa is the number one corn state, the number one soy bean state, I think

MR. FRATTO: Well, I don't think I'd make that connection to -- that direct connection to prices. We spend a lot of time talking up here about the relationship between the prices of crops and how that affects consumer prices, and it's not a direct link. There is some relationship, but it's not very direct and it's not really one-to-one. It should have -- it will probably have some impact, but there are so many forces that play upon consumer prices, it's hard to point to any one item. It's also -- like I said, it's just really too early to say whether those figures are correct or not.

Yes, Bret. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Tony, we saw the President's meeting on Afghanistan this morning and the brief comments. Afghanistan

MR. FRATTO: Well, look, I think it's -- as we have said many times, our forces in Afghanistan are facing a determined enemy. That enemy is there, it's showing itself, it shows itself in certain spectacular acts from time to time. I don't know for a fact whether Taliban troops have taken over certain villages or not, and we'll try to get that from DOD or maybe DOD can share more on that. But the Taliban forces there are certainly intent to make a fight of it. But our troops are making a fight of it also, and I think we've shown good success. And the Afghan troops are getting trained up and they're doing their work, too. But it's a tough situation, absolutely. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: I couldn't give you anything on that. I think you'd have to check in with DOD and see what their estimates are. But you just heard the President on his trip to Europe talking to European leaders, and recently, on his NATO visit, talking about the need for all countries who can play a role in Afghanistan, whether it's combat troops on the ground or other support activities, to help that country succeed. The Afghan donors conference raising over $20 billion in commitments from countries around the world is important.

There is no one effort that's going to help this country succeed. We need to do it on multiple levels. We need to do it with economic development. We need to do it with infrastructure building. Remember that we're talking about a country that probably, a country for its size, has fewer roads than any other country in the world. It needs infrastructure; it needs institution-building; it needs support for democracy and freedom of expression and supporting its political situation; and it needs help dealing with these forces who are determined to stop this country from being a successful democracy.

What we're proud of is that there's a unified international community that is working together to make sure that Afghanistan succeeds. And we are seeing more troops going in from countries like France, and the commitment from Great Britain, also. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q One last clarification, if I could. The Pakistani Prime Minister today said that he -- Pakistan

MR. FRATTO: I think everyone needs to do more, and that includes the Pakistan government, that includes the Afghan government. And what we also need to see -- as you heard the President say, and Steve Hadley and others -- we need the two governments to work together to deal with the border region and to go after these groups that seek to destroy this effort at democracy in Afghanistan. We need them working together on where these militias are and whether it's Taliban or al Qaeda, and they need to come to agreement in ways to try to diminish the impact of those groups.

The President talked about bringing back the jirga process. That's one effort that has been successful in the past; we'd like to see more of that. But we need to see more cooperation between the two governments and to bring down the level of tension and understand -- come to understanding that they can work together to stop these groups, because these groups are a threat to both countries and both governments.

Yes, Bill. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: That's the problem that we have, whether it's in Iraq or Afghanistan or here at home, is that we need to be successful a hundred percent of the time and these troops are -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Yes, and we're seeing them getting better trained, better equipped, better able to be mobile around the country and deal with the threats as they see it. That does not mean that they're going to be able to stop 100 percent of the attacks of a very determined and creative enemy.

So what we need to do is to continue to increase their level of training -- the British troops and U.S. troops and others are doing excellent work on training. We need to see more numbers. We need to see their equipment improve. And you will see, and as we have seen, their capabilities will improve also. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Well, we hope so. I mean, Secretary Gates has talked about what troop levels are needed in Afghanistan. Well, we've never met a commander who hasn't wanted more troops on the ground. We're going to try to make sure that we have the right number, and we've put out a call numerous times for other countries and other members of the international force to come forward with troops.

We always want more troops, and we also want to maintain this goal of making sure that the Afghan troops are well trained and able to better protect their country.

Yes, Ed. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Tony, there's a Senate hearing today on the treating on detainees. And one of the ways the White

MR. FRATTO: I haven't seen that memo, and haven't had a chance to follow the hearing. I can tell you it's always been the policy of this government to treat these detainees humanely and in line with the laws and our legal obligations. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Well, along those lines, another memo came out suggesting that a senior CIA lawyer, while they

MR. FRATTO: I don't know who that is or who that came from. I'm telling you that abuse of detainees has never been, is not, and will never be the policy of this government. The policy of this government has been to take these detainees and to interrogate them and get the information that we can get to help protect this country, which we have been very successful at doing, and we've been very successful at getting the information that has saved lives and prevented attacks on this country and on our allies. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: The White House policy -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: No, the White House policy is what I told you, which is that we do not abuse and we treat detainees humanely and comporting with the law. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q To follow that up, Tony, because one thing that struck me from those hearings was something a Republican

MR. FRATTO: We have great respect for Lindsey Graham. We're not going to review every legal opinion that has ever been proffered by this government. I'm telling you what our policy has been has been to deal with these detainees humanely, get the information from them that we can to protect this country, and as we've been working through the process with Congress and putting in place laws to deal with them in a legal way. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Yes, Les. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Thank you, Tony. Two questions. Last week, Senator Leahy told the American Constitution Society

MR. FRATTO: Les, I'm not sure I followed the whole line of the question, but let me just say, the President has read and is sworn to defend and protect the Constitution, and he does that. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Senator Leahy also said the Guantanamo decision was a stinging rebuke of the Bush administration

MR. FRATTO: Again, I think you lost me somewhere along the long line of that question. I'll just tell you that we expressed our views on the Boumediene decision. We disagreed with it. The President said he would -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: But that's usually where we are, is disagreeing with the Senator from Vermont. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q Tony, two quick questions. One, going back to Afghanistan, how seriously you think President is

MR. FRATTO: Goyal -- Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Goyal, I don't think President Karzai's comment was a threat. I think President Karzai is dealing with a very difficult situation on his border. He is a strong leader of that country, and he's interested in protecting his people and his citizens from these forces who want to attack them. We'd like to see President Karzai and the Afghans and the Pakistanis work out, on their own, ways to help improve security on the border region. We think they're going to do that. We want to help them do it. And certainly our troops are on the ground doing that. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q But then as far as the President's visit to Europe is concerned, and upcoming visit to G8 in July

MR. FRATTO: On prices? Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Well, look, we'd certainly like to see prices come down from the elevated levels that we've seen, whether it's food or oil, and there's some connection there. I can't predict where prices are going to go.

Yes, Jon. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: I don't know if the President has seen it. I saw the reporting in your paper and on -- I think it was ABC this morning. I thought actually some of it was some of the most -- certainly at least what I saw in television this morning was some of the more irresponsible reporting that I've ever seen, in terms of taking what this one -- the experience of this one veteran and trying to leave the impression that this was a situation for all veterans.

We're in a difficult position in being able to comment on this case because of the privacy concerns of the veteran in question and the other veterans in this program. But I can tell you the VA is doing everything they can to be mindful of the safety of these veterans in all their programs, and trying to help them. This is the Veterans Administration under wonderful leadership by General Peake -- Secretary Peake, who's interested in the health and safety of these veterans that are under his care. And every other member of that VA system is the same.

And to try to imply that -- and, in fact, not even imply -- I see the words scrolled on a television screen this morning, that the VA is using our veterans as guinea pigs I thought was one of the most awful things I've ever had to watch on television. These are people who care for our veterans, they care for the troops that have been out there every day fighting for this country, and they're interested in their safety. Remember, this is a program dealing with former soldiers with PTSD and it's a smoking cessation program, and they're interested in helping these veterans.

So that's my reaction to it. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: Sure. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: I wasn't in the briefing. I'm not sure if Paulison put it in that context in the briefing with the President, but I think it's certainly the case. Look, you know, when Katrina occurred -- I mean, the history on that, we're still dealing with it.

But there is absolutely no question that the agencies involved in emergency disaster relief across the country and the states and localities who are on the front lines in dealing with it, remember that, you know, even today -- you've asked about how things are going with the floods up there -- it's the state and local communities who take the lead and are on the front lines in dealing with their citizens in any disaster.

So they're on the front lines and they're taking the lead, and the federal government is there to give support and make sure that they have all the equipment and resources and logistics and logistical support that they need. A lot of lessons were learned from Katrina, and I think you have seen them in place in how FEMA and the other agencies have responded to disasters since then. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: I would let them explain that to you. I mean, I think there's some things I could mention in terms of logistics and coordination and communication, but I think they could tell it better than I can. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: I don't. I know that they continue the talks. Sue Schwab, the USTR, and the Korean negotiators are continuing to discuss these matters. We hope they can come to a conclusion that's good for both countries. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: We haven't announced anything on the President's travel yet. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: That's an issue that the state is dealing with. They're going to have a referendum and we're certainly monitoring. You know the President's views on this, that a marriage is between a man and a woman, and we've been very clear on that. But yes, I mean, we do notice it and we'll follow what happens in California. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

MR. FRATTO: His position hasn't changed on that. Read more Comment (0), Email this.

Q The American Red Cross announced that all their funds have been depleted; in fact, they're taking

MR. FRATTO: There's nothing specific I can point to right now. I can tell you we saw the same reporting this morning also and I know we've got people in contact with the leadership over at the Red Cross. And we'll be interested to see what's the best way to help them, and certainly, obviously, we want Americans to feel welcome to contribute to the American Red Cross and other agencies out there who bring relief to so many of our citizens when disaster strikes. These people are really remarkable in the places they go and how quickly they go there, and their commitment to helping their fellow citizens is wonderful. And so we want to make sure that they have what they need. Read more Comment (0), Email this.