Washington, Sept 12: Chances of the Indo-US nuclear
deal going through the Congress this month got a boost on Friday
with Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives and
a leading Democrat hoping that the 30-day rule for the
legislation to be considered will be waived.
Pelosi also said that the deal has the support of the
House and hoped it can be considered before the Congress
session ends on September 26.
The success of the Bush Administration to get
Congressional nod for the deal before Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's visit to Washington on September 25 hinges on three
key players including Pelosi.
The others are Senate majority leader Democrat Harry
Reid, who has indicated he will work for the approval of the
deal, and House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard
Berman, a vocal critic.
Pelosi's remarks come on a day the State Department
hoped the legislation can be passed before the Congress
adjourns for the year.
"We have presented a very strong package fully
consistent with the requirements that Congress set out,"
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian
Affairs Richard Boucher said at a meeting organised by the US
India Business Alliance at the Capitol Hill.
"We understand how tight the Congressional calendar is
this fall. But we look forward to continuing with Congress on
the initiative and we hope the legislation can be passed
before Congress adjourns for the year," he added.
The comments came close on the heels of President George
Bush's statement that American commitments to the Indian side
under the Agreement were not "legally binding".
Pelosi described as "substantial" the Bush
Administration's submission made to the Congress on the
US-India civilian nuclear agreement.
".. the submission we received last night -- and it's
very -- it's quite substantial. It will require a waiver of
our rules, because you need 30 consecutive legislative days to
pass before you could take up such legislation," Pelosi said
at a news conference.
"And I hope that work can be done so that we can take
it up. It does have support in the House," she added.
The Congress, which opened Sept 8, will be in session
till Sept 26. It is therefore being asked by Administration to
do away with the mandatory 30-day period before it can take up
the Agreement for a simple yes-no vote without a debate.
Pelosi, however, also stressed on the importance of
principles contained in the Hyde legislation, so that "what we
do in India... does not send a message that it's OK to proceed
to a more nuclear state".
Terming nonproliferation as a pillar of American
foreign policy, the powerful lawmaker said the civilian
nuclear deal between the two countries should not become a
"precedent for saying many more countries will join the club".
"We know that they (India) have not proliferated. But
still, trying to strike the balance of this is about civilian
nuclear use, and we don't want it to be a precedent for saying
many more countries will join the club," Pelosi said.
Meanwhile the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, currently the democratic Vice Presidential nominee,
Senator Joseph Biden has said his Panel will act promptly to
review the agreement in a hearing next week.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, September 12, 2008, 00:00