US-India nuclear deal hits snag in Congress
Washington,
Dec
7:
Plans
for
the
US
Congress
to
approve
a
landmark
deal
that
would
allow
India
to
buy
US
nuclear
fuel
and
reactors
hit
a
snag
when
Republican
leaders
in
the
House
of
Representatives
halted
action
on
the
legislation,
congressional
sources
said.
The sources, who support the deal and spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said they still hoped the bill could be approved. But time was running out because Congress plans to adjourn this week for the year. The legislation would make changes in US law to allow nuclear-armed India to buy US nuclear fuel and reactors for the first time in 30 years.
The House and the Senate adopted competing versions of the bill so congressional negotiators worked through the night to reconcile differences to reach a compromise, which has not been made public. Plans were to have both chambers give final approval to the legislation yesterday. But then House Republican Majority leader John Boehner of Ohio halted action, the sources said.
Kevin
Smith,
Boehner's
spokesman,
said
the
bill
was
not
formally
scheduled
for
a
vote
on
Wednesday
but
will
be
put
before
Congress
when
Boehner
and
other
leaders
''have
some
sort
of
a
resolution.''
He
said
he
did
not
know
what
was
holding
up
the
legislation
as
lawmakers
''are
still
working
things
out.''
But
he
insisted:
''The
House
will
complete
action
in
the
bill
before
we
adjourn
this
week
so
we
can
send
the
bill
to
the
president
for
his
signature.''
'Hit a Reef'
One Democratic source said that during an all-night session that ended yesterday, ''We settled our text, worked everything through and then Boehner told HIRC (House International Relations Committee) representatives to stop moving the bill.'' Another source added: ''Work was progressing nicely until this morning. It seemed clear sailing but suddenly we hit a reef.''
The sources said they did not know the exact reason for the delay, but they believed Republicans were squabbling over adding unrelated provisions to the bill. The Bush administration strongly favors the US-India nuclear deal. On Tuesday, Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said one of his priorities was to have Congress pass the bill this week. But that popularity makes it an appealing vehicle for attaching items that have less political support.
The deal reverses 30 years of US policy that, until July 2005, opposed nuclear cooperation with India because the South Asian democracy never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and developed nuclear weapons in contravention of international standards. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns was expected in New Delhi today to discuss a second agreement that would set out technical details of nuclear cooperation with India that has been stymied in large part because of objections from New Delhi.
India has been vigorously resisting provisions aimed at ensuring the nuclear cooperation deal does not advance India's weapons program. Even though it has nuclear arms, India never signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which obligates the United States not to assist non-NPT signatories with their weapons programs.
Reuters