Washington, June 27
US President George W Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns met several Congressmen and Senators yesterday in a last-minute lobbying effort to impress upon them the importance of passing the legislation concerning the civil nuclear deal with India.The House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are taking up the mark-up hearing on the legislation today and tomorrow respectively.
In view of the summer vacation recess and the election year ahead in November, the President and his team want to ensure that nothing goes wrong in approving the nuke deal, which would enable India to get sensitive nuclear technology and equipment.
“President Bush considers the passage of the legislation concerning the nuclear deal a top priority and wants both Houses of Congress to act on it affirmatively,” White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
Officials feel that non-operative references in the legislation will only go to strengthen India’s point of view and perceptions as the bill will be India-specific and the legislation is in the national security interests of America.
The ‘mark-up’ legislation, aimed at exempting US exports of nuclear material, equipment and technology to India from certain requirements of the 1954 Atomic Energy Act, will be taken up by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tomorrow.
The House Committee will have as its base the bipartisan Hyde-Lantos Bill which is said to incorporate the original administration version along with inputs of Ranking Member Tom Lantos and Howard Berman Bill which was introduced separately.
— PTI
