This is a statement made at a White House press conference yesterday. Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto is speaking.

Q I’m just trying to reconcile two points here. On the one hand, you said that there are a lot of members who rightly have questions and acknowledge that this is obviously a huge package, but on the other hand, you’ve emphasized several times that it’s critical that it be done quickly this week and that it be done clean. You know, for lawmakers who are — I guess I’m asking, isn’t there something to be said for being careful beyond the urgency and the haste? Is there a concern here that maybe the administration is being heavy-handed?

MR. FRATTO: No, well, look, I think I would reconcile it this way: This is — this was not a program that was conceived of or put together hastily. There was an enormous amount of analysis and debate and discussion before we came forward with this program. I think we have anticipated a lot of the questions that members of Congress would naturally have about taking this step, but we have had — some of the policy staff have had months to think about what a program like this would be like and how it would work. Others have had at least weeks to think about it. Members of Congress have had days to think about it. And it’s very, very complex and takes time to think through all of the implications of it and why some alternative ideas might not work as well as this one….

Q Well, I guess that’s exactly my point, real quickly, is that you’re saying the administration and its staff has had months to think about this and lawmakers have only had days. I mean, doesn’t Congress get its turn? Doesn’t it have its own right?

MR. FRATTO: And they are, and we’re taking this time. I mean, I don’t — I’ll concede that it is a lot of information to take in in a relatively short period of time, but I think they can — I think it’s enough time. At any rate, there is an urgent need here to get it done and I think members recognize that also — the overwhelming number of members of Congress recognize that.

Emphasis added.

So they’ve been looking at this problem for months, planning it for months, and now we have to have a decision in a week? The follow-up question is spot on, and I’d add “Why are they so determined to rush us into a decision? What don’t they want us to see before we act?”