Amendments on US-India nuclear deal

Washington, June 30: One major amendment, sponsored by a leading Democrat Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, suffered a humiliating defeat in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while a legislation was being considered on the civilian nuclear accord with India.

It was rejected by a margin of thirteen to five. Besides Feingold's there were two amendments which got accepted.

Republican Senator Lincoln Chaffe of Rhode Island wanted an amendment to ensure that the US would not support India's nuclear weapons program while offering civilian nuclear energy. With very little resistance, the Panel approved the amendment by a Voice Vote.

The second amendment was offered by Senator Barak Obama, Democrat of Illinois, who proposed that the United States should not seek to facilitate or encourage the continuation of nuclear exports to India if such exports are terminated under the U.S. law. This too was accepted by a Voice Vote.

While I strongly support the growing relationship between US and India, I have serious concerns about the effect this legislation would have on the proliferation of nuclear weapons and material around the world,'' Feingold said in a statement after his amendment was defeated in the panel.

Feingold offered his amendment seeking changes in the Operative sections of the Bill. The senator, who has been opposed to the nuke deal with India, right from the beginning, insisted on a Presidential certification that the deal would be only in civilian nature and none of the assistance provided by the US would be diverted to India's weapons program.

Ranking Democrat on the panel, Joe Biden of Delaware, took strong objection to it and said that the administration has agreed with the crux of the arguement which was why a number of provisions have been put in place like the safeguard mechanism with the International Atomic Energy Agency to prevent India from diverting US technology to its strategic program.

He explained that it would be impossible for the President to certify ''in advance'' that nothing will go wrong and suggested that Feingold move his amendment to the Policy Statement section of the bill as it would be more appropriate there.

Feingold refused contending that the Record Keeping and Monitoring provisions of the Bill are ''not sufficient'' and that his amendment has to be under the ''Determinations'' section of the legislation, or one of the operative parts.

Republican Senator George Allen of Virginia said all that Feingold wanted had already been provided in the bill and that there was no need for any specific Presidential certifications. ''India is a sovereign country'' and to force this amendment ''could offend sensitivities of a sovereign nation whom we are trusting,'' Allen said and termed the Feingold Amendment as a ''potential deal killer.'' Feingold's support came from another opponent to the deal, Senator Barbara Boxer (Democrat from California) who argued that India is ''getting something that no one is'' and therefore the Feingold Amendment should be approved.

After a lot of arguements, Feingold modified amendment to say the President has to certify that he has ''assurances'' from India assistance would be confined only to the civilian parts of India's program.

At this stage, Senator Lugar intervened and after making brief consultations with Jeff Bergner, the Under Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs and Sharon Squassoni of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) put Feingold's "Revised" Amendment to a vote.

UNI

Related Stories
Senate panel backs US-India civilian nuclear pact
US welcomes Senate panel vote on nuclear deal