Bush gets down to business

George W Bush wants to reach out to his opponents

The new president of the United States, George W Bush, is meeting congressional leaders on Monday to map out his legislative programme.

His proposed changes to federal education laws are a central element and will be sent to Congress on Tuesday.

We are here to make progress

President Bush tells new staff

They include introducing more student testing, punishing and rewarding states depending on pupil performance, and spending $5bn to improve literacy over five years.

Mr Bush welcomed his White House staff on Monday, calling on them to uphold high ethical standards and to see their jobs as ''the honour of a lifetime''.

At a swearing-in ceremony for dozens of his staff, Mr Bush asked for help in fulfilling his campaign pledges.

''We are here to make progress,'' he said. ''We are not here to mark time''.

School vouchers

President Bush's legislative proposals include controversial plans to provide parents of children in poorly performing schools with vouchers enabling them to choose private education, but administration officials have signalled they will not be a top priority.

Education reform

More student testing

Extra funding for states with high pupil performance

$5bn to improve literacy over five years

A $1.6 trillion tax-cut proposal is also on the agenda, but a BBC Washington correspondent says that with the Senate split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats, and with some in his own party feeling that the tax cuts are too ambitious, Mr Bush may have trouble getting the whole package through.

The president also plans to meet Senator John McCain, his rival for the Republican nomination, to discuss reforming campaign finance laws.

But White House officials stress that education, tax reform and military spending are the main priorities.

White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card said: "We have a lot of priorities that would come before campaign finance reform, but we do respect the leadership that John McCain has offered in this area."

Clinton measures blocked

Mr Bush has already moved to block a series of measures approved at the last minute by his predecessor, Bill Clinton.

Mr Card said the action was designed to ensure that the new administration was able to review the changes, which mainly affect health and the environment.

"Send no proposed or final regulation to the Office of the Federal Register unless and until a department or agency head appointed by the President after noon on 20 January 2001, reviews and approves the regulatory action," a memorandum issued by Mr Card said.

It is not clear how many of the measures - dealing with health insurance for the elderly, Medicare and various environmental policies - the president will be able to reverse.

Mr Bush also said no further staff should be hired within the federal government unless approved by one of his appointees.

Correspondents say this is intended to stop former Clinton appointees taking up posts in various parts of the civil and diplomatic services.