According to The Washington Post Bush is going to direct the Food and Drug Administration to issue rules allowing for quicker approval of generic drugs.

Democrats, however, are skeptical.

As word -- but not the details -- of the White House plan began to filter out last night, the association representing generic drug manufacturers said the proposal sounded constructive, although perhaps not as far-reaching as the companies would like.

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of the main sponsors of the Senate bill, was skeptical. "This sounds like an Election Day conversion," Schumer said in an interview. "This devil will be in the details. This could be good, but given the White House's previous record, it could also be another loophole that will allow the drug companies to further delay approval of generics."

So, it's not "as good" as what Democrats in the Senate would like, but my question is this: If this could be achieved without legislation -- by simply changing the rules -- why wasn't it done under the Clinton/Gore administration?