United States Congress okays Nuclear Deal

The India-US civil nuclear deal is finally done, with the US Senate giving a resounding 86-13 approval to the historic accord visualised by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George W. Bush over three years ago.

The Senate approval, allowing resumption of nuclear commerce with India, four days after an equally emphatic 298-117 endorsement from the House of Representatives, clears the way for President Bush to sign it into law, possibly later Thursday.

Mr Bush, who had hoped to seal the accord when Dr Singh visited him at the White House a week ago, had made the India deal a “very, very high priority” of his administration even in the midst of America’s great financial crisis.

US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, who led efforts to secure passage of the deal with numerous meetings and endless phone calls to legislators, is expected to carry the deal package to New Delhi Saturday.

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United States House begins action on Nuclear deal

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Washington on Thursday (US time) for a meeting with US President George W. Bush later in the day while the Indo-US nuclear deal, which was approved by the Senate foreign relations committee, was tabled before the House of Representatives.

This was seen as the final leap before the Manmohan dream turns into reality. Reports that US House international affairs committee chairman Howard Berman has introduced a bill in the House of Representatives linking passage of the nuclear deal with diplomatic support on US engagement of Iran was denied by committee staffers.

There was speculation all through Wednesday after the Indian American Republican Council said Mr Berman was going to incorporate language on Iran that would lead to the bill being defeated on the House floor. This was denied by the committee’s chief spokeswoman Lynne Weil, who said: “That is not true. Congressman Berman has not introduced any legislation on the US-India nuclear agreement.” The Indian team remained tightlipped.

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