The Republican co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans expressed joy over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trust vote victory in Parliament, but the Democratic co-chair of the Caucus was lukewarm in his reaction and predicted that its unlikely that the deal can be ratified by the Congress this year before it adjourns.
Congressman Joe Wilson, South Carolina Republican, said the PM's victory in Parliament was "good news for the US-India civilian nuclear agreement that is currently under consideration by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Suppliers Group."
Wilson pointed out the victory by the prime minister provides a political mandate for the agreement between the US and India which will "strengthen our partnership as well as further the advancement of nuclear energy which means good jobs and stable power for the people of India. As the citizens of South Carolina know, nuclear energy is a clean and renewable energy source, for over 30 years, over 50 percent of electricity generated in our state has come from nuclear power."
Wilson said, "As a longtime supporter of the civilian nuclear agreement, I am grateful that we will continue to step closer to having the agreement implemented."
But the Democratic co-chair, Congressman Jim McDermott, who represents Washington state -- who incidentally voted against the enabling legislation also known as the Hyde Act two years ago -- said, "The likelihood of Congress taking up the nuclear issue again before the end of the year is, it will be very difficult."
McDermott argued, "Agreements with the IAEA and NSG must be obtained before the issue can reach Congress. And, the primary focus in America over the next few months will be on politics leading up to the November election in which the American people will elect a new president, vote on all 435 House members and one-third of the US Senate."
He added, "Congress will recess in early August for the political party conventions, return in September for only a few weeks prior to adjournment for the November election, and then return again for a few weeks after the election. While I will never say never, it is hard to see how Congress will have sufficient time to act before the end of the year."
When rediff.com tried to pin him down and repeatedly asked him which way his vote would go when the vital bilateral 123 Agreement came up for ratification in Congress, McDermott was circumspect.
"I am going to watch and see how President Bush deals with us," he said.
Meanwhile, Congressman Joe Crowley, New York Democrat, and an erstwhile co-chair of the Caucus, was enthusiastic over the trust vote victory by Dr Singh and echoed the positive sentiments expressed by Wilson.
Crowley said, "I applaud Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his leadership and successful efforts to secure a strong coalition to move the historic US-India nuclear pact forward before the US Congress goes out of session this year."
Crowley recalled that "even though this pact was approved by US Congress and signed into law by the US President over a year and a half ago, approval by the Indian Parliament is required for this deal to move forward."
Crowley, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, "It is my hope the Government of India will use this new found momentum and move swiftly to allow sufficient time for the IAEA and the NSG to clear the pact for final approval by US Congress."
"These recent developments give me hope that the pact may indeed reach Congress this year in time for a vote before the close of session," he added.
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