Bush congratulates House, asks Senate to speed up approval of nuke deal

Washington, Sep 28 : President George W Bush congratulated the US House of Representatives for passing the Indo-US civil nuclear deal by thumping majority, and urged the Senate to quickly follow suit.

"I urge the Senate to quickly take up and pass this important piece of legislation before their October adjournment," he said in a statement, as the House approved the implementing 123 Agreement by an overwhelming 298 to 117 vote.

"Signing this bi-partisan bill will help strengthen our partnership with India," Bush told the Senators as he congratulated the Lower House for taking "another major step forward in achieving the transformation" of the two countries' relationship.

Bush thanked the members of Congress who helped to pass this legislation, especially the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Democratic Chairman Howard Berman and its top Republican member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

The US President acknowledged his role in pushing the deal through after holding out for several days due to his professed reservations over the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver for India for resuming nuclear trade.

"In addition, I would like to recognise the contributions of two great Americans and legislators, Congressmen Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde, who saw early on the importance of a strategic partnership with India and of bringing the people of our two great nations together through this initiative," Bush said.

ANI