US Govt to present N-deal to Congress on Sept 8

New Delhi: The Bush administration will present the nuclear deal to the US Congress on September 8.

The US State Department said on Tuesday that it was hopeful that the US Congress would approve the nuclear deal before it adjourns.

Officials said they were also hopeful that the waiver for nuclear trade would have come from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) before the deal was presented in the Congress.

Meanwhile, the NSG is meeting on August 21 to consider the waiver.

The State Department said that the nuclear deal was important for the India-US bilateral relationship and nuclear security.

Talking about the impressive urgency displayed by Washington DC, former Indian envoy to the US Lalit Mansingh told CNN-IBN, “President Bush is keeping his word. The Government of India had staked its existence on the passing of the deal and now the ball is in the American court.”

Many experts had earlier predicted that the Indo-US nuclear deal might fail to reach the US Congress for a vote.

They said that due to the election year, the short congressional calendar would expire in September, leaving only a three to four week window, in which both houses of the Congress must vote on the deal.

Lalit Mansingh says that one reason why the US is hurrying on the deal is that the time is running out on the US side because the US speaker Nancy Vilosy had said that there might not be a December session of the congress. So Bush administration’s only hope is to get is passed in the September session.

”Secondly, this is part of the Bush legacy. This is the only big success story for George W Bush and although Iraq is improving marginally, this will be the real plum in his hands when he leaves office,” says Lalit Mansingh

He explains, “There is massive bipartisan support in the present Congress. There is almost 85 per cent support for India in this congress. If the deal does not pass in this congress, one would face a new president and a new Congress. So there is uncertainty.”

Finally, sooner the better for American business because there is also a fear that once the NSG passes or gives the clean exemption, there is a suspicion that the Russian, French, and other suppliers may go ahead of the Americans, if the Americans do not pass it soon. So all in all, I think, there are good reasons for the US administration to have it rushed through the congress.

Experts and political analysts also pointed out other possible hurdles. They said Congressional aides are invoking a controversial clause in the original 123 Agreement that says Congress must be in session continuously for 30-days before voting on the deal.

That would mean that the leadership would have to either revoke the rule or ensure the September session lasts at least for a month.

However, Lalit Mansingh says, “There are good reasons for the US administration to have it rushed through the congress. It is also good for American business.”