WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush said Friday that Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh is "lucky to be an American," his death penalty stayed because of an unexpected foul-up by the FBI.

"This is a country that will bend over backwards to make sure that his constitutional rights are guaranteed, as opposed to rushing his fate," the president said.

Bush spoke at a White House news conference less than an hour after Attorney General John Ashcroft announced a one-month delay in McVeigh's execution, citing the FBI's failure to turn over thousands of pages of evidence at his trial.

"I am sure there is going to be some frustration from the family members," Bush said, referring to the relatives who have grieved for more than six years over the loss of 168 loved ones.

The president said he learned only Thursday night of the foul-up at the FBI.

Bush opened his news conference with a plea to Congress to pass "meaningful, real" tax relief before Memorial Day — action he said would help the economy as well as cushion the blow of rising energy prices.

"The quickest way to help people with energy prices is tax relief," said Bush.

Congress enacted a budget Thursday that calls for a tax cut of $1.35 trillion over the next 11 years. Even before the president spoke, GOP Senate leaders said they hoped to speed legislation through both houses of Congress before lawmakers adjourn in two weeks for a Memorial Day recess.

That's a remarkably rapid timetable, given the customary pace of legislating in Congress, and Senate Democrats have already served notice they may attempt to slow the Republicans down.

In other topics at a news conference 4« months after taking office, the president:

—Expressed anger that the United States had lost its seat on the U.N. Human Rights Commission. Even so, he said he opposes moves in Congress to retract an agreement to make back payments. "I think we ought to pay our dues."

—Pledged to "tell the truth" next week when he unveils his energy policy. He said he would call for development of conservation technology, but added, "I'm also going to say as plainly as I can we won't conserve our way to energy independence. We must increase supply."

— Said he was "beginning to look at different candidates" to replace FBI Director Louis Freeh, who has announced his resignation effective next month. "Obviously, it's a process that's going to take a while" to find a successor, the president said.

Despite the unexpected turn of events in the McVeigh case, Bush noted that McVeigh himself has admitted blowing up the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City. "I take him at his word," he said.

He also reaffirmed his long-standing support for the death penalty. "Today is an example of the system being fair," he said.

As for McVeigh, perpetrator of the deadliest act of terrorism ever in the United States, the president said, "My administration is going to take its time to make sure that justice has been administered fairly."

He noted that Ashcroft is going to investigate "why those documents were not given to McVeigh's lawyers."

Taxes aside, Bush is expected to announce plans for a comprehensive energy policy next week, a plan that is expected to stress development of additional oil and gas reserves, greater emphasis on nuclear energy and tax credits to advance other sources.

"I worry about the fact that hard-working people are paying high prices at the pump," Bush said. "We need to cut taxes as quickly as possible to give people money to deal with this."

Bush faces increasing concern among congressional Republicans that rising energy prices, coupled with rolling power blackouts this summer, could hurt the GOP at the polls in next year's midterm elections.

Some Democrats have already called for price controls on energy but the administration is expected to reject them when the president unveils his energy package next week.