Indo-US nuclear deal: House of Reps to consider Senate version of the Bill

Washington: Seeking an early passage for the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Bush administration has succeeded in convincing House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, Howard Berman - the man responsible for the infamous 'leak' of a State department letter during the Nuclear Supplier's Group's Vienna vote -  to suspend his hostility and agree to the Senate version of the Bill of Approval.

"Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called chairman Berman late in the day. Following the call, Congressman Berman introduced his new legislation, now referred to as H.R.7081, the Senate Version of the Bill," a top aide in the House Foreign Affairs Committee said.

Berman, a vocal critic of the 123 agreement with India, was persuaded to drop killer amendments, including one on Iran that could have sabotaged the legislation.

"I support peaceful nuclear cooperation with India, and in 2006 I voted for the Hyde Act, which established a framework for this cooperation," Berman said in a briefing to Republican and Democratic colleagues, according to a statement released by his office.

He also said he was under no illusion that India will give up its nuclear weapons as long as the five recognised nuclear states fail to make "serious reductions in their arsenals" but went on to add that "I believe it (deal) is a positive step to integrate India into the global nonproliferation regime."

"I continue to have concerns about ambiguities in the nuclear cooperation agreement that the Bush Administration negotiated with the government of India, particularly with regard to the potential consequences if India tests another nuclear weapon, and to the legal status of so-called 'fuel assurances' made by our negotiators," he said.

"This India legislation includes a number of provisions designed to improve Congressional oversight of the India nuclear cooperation agreement and help ensure that the agreement is interpreted in a manner consistent with the constraints in the Hyde Act," he said. "I will therefore vote in support of this Agreement," he said.

Besides expressing concern over the "ambiguities" in the agreement, Berman, in his statement, also said he was "deeply troubled" that the Bush Administration "completely disregarded important nonproliferation requirements in the Hyde Act --thus putting American companies at a competitive disadvantage -- when seeking a special exemption for India at the Nuclear Suppliers Group."

With the Senate version now being tabled for approval, valuable time is saved as both houses of the Congress now do not have to reconcile two versions in a conference committee during a legislative calendar that is coming to a close..

The Berman Bill will be tabled on Saturday for debate and vote. Under the Suspension of Rules format there could be a short debate, with time equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, followed by a vote on the Bill.

The Bill will need to clear by a two-thirds majority. To date, the US-India civilian nuclear deal has revealed strong bipartisan support in the House as well as the Senate.

On a fast track basis, should the House of Representatives clear the Bill today, it could conceivably move to the Senate and receive clearance from the Chamber by a unanimous consent vote on the same day.

Congressional sources however are not very sanguine about the Senate, as the body is currently bogged down with the $700 billion financial institutions bailout package. They said it was very likely that both the Houses would have to extend their session for a few more days to deal with the rush of issues before the 110th Congress is declared to be at an end.   

Lawmakers, who have been bogged down with the financial stabilisation package seem anxious to wrap things up by the weekend but all indications are that the Senate and House will be in session for a few days more prior to formally bringing the curtains down on the 110th Congress.