ID :
19467
Sun, 09/14/2008 - 08:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/19467
The shortlink copeid
U.S. Senate to take up N-deal for hearing on Sept 18
Sridhar Krishnaswami
Washington, Sep 13 (PTI) Setting the stage for fast track approval of the 123 Agreement by the U.S. Congress, the Senate will take it up for hearing on Thursday with both sides hoping to wrap up the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit here on September 25.
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns will testify on Capitol Hill before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee headed by Chairman Joseph Biden, who is
also the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, during the
hearing on September 18.
Only 10 working days are left in the current
Congressional session which ends on September 26 before the
November 4 Presidential elections in the U.S.
U.S. President George W. Bush has invited Prime Minister
Singh to the White House on September 25 when the two may sign
the pact if it is approved by then.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee also has
Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama as one of its
members, but it is not clear if both Biden and Obama will be
present at the hearing on Thursday afternoon, given their busy
campaigning schedule.
Biden has been highly supportive of the bi-partisan
effort on Capitol Hill to get the initiative through the
legislative process.
Political observers and members of the Indian American
community, who have been watching the progress of the process
pertaining to the civilian nuclear deal, say the Senate is a
place where particular attention has to be focussed on because
of the manner in which it operates -- by unanimous consent.
This means that not a single Senator should express
objection to the movement of the legislative package for
consideration and vote.
During the passage of the Hyde Act in 2006, 12 Senators
voted against the measure as it cleared the chamber 85 to 12
votes. All 12 of them were Democrats and several among them
were Chairs of powerful Senate committees.
The 12 Democrats who voted against the Hyde Act included
Barbara Boxer (California); Daniel Akaka (Hawaii), Edward
Kennedy (Massachusetts); and Mark Dayton (Minnesota).
Although the administration has been calling upon
Congress to have the legislation on the civilian nuclear deal
out of the way "this year", both the White House and the State
Department would like the civilian nuclear deal to be cleared
by September 26, the formal target adjournment date for the
110th Congress.
Given the 30-day rule for consideration of the pact while
only ten legislative days are left, all eyes are on the Party
leaders -- Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy
Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on how they are
going to carry this through by September 26.
But there are increasing indications that Congress may
come back for a Lame-Duck session to address pending issues,
including perhaps the civilian nuclear deal if not cleared by
the time. PTI SK
AMT
NNNN
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain
proprietary, confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify
the sender immediately and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments
contained in it.
Washington, Sep 13 (PTI) Setting the stage for fast track approval of the 123 Agreement by the U.S. Congress, the Senate will take it up for hearing on Thursday with both sides hoping to wrap up the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit here on September 25.
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns will testify on Capitol Hill before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee headed by Chairman Joseph Biden, who is
also the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, during the
hearing on September 18.
Only 10 working days are left in the current
Congressional session which ends on September 26 before the
November 4 Presidential elections in the U.S.
U.S. President George W. Bush has invited Prime Minister
Singh to the White House on September 25 when the two may sign
the pact if it is approved by then.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee also has
Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama as one of its
members, but it is not clear if both Biden and Obama will be
present at the hearing on Thursday afternoon, given their busy
campaigning schedule.
Biden has been highly supportive of the bi-partisan
effort on Capitol Hill to get the initiative through the
legislative process.
Political observers and members of the Indian American
community, who have been watching the progress of the process
pertaining to the civilian nuclear deal, say the Senate is a
place where particular attention has to be focussed on because
of the manner in which it operates -- by unanimous consent.
This means that not a single Senator should express
objection to the movement of the legislative package for
consideration and vote.
During the passage of the Hyde Act in 2006, 12 Senators
voted against the measure as it cleared the chamber 85 to 12
votes. All 12 of them were Democrats and several among them
were Chairs of powerful Senate committees.
The 12 Democrats who voted against the Hyde Act included
Barbara Boxer (California); Daniel Akaka (Hawaii), Edward
Kennedy (Massachusetts); and Mark Dayton (Minnesota).
Although the administration has been calling upon
Congress to have the legislation on the civilian nuclear deal
out of the way "this year", both the White House and the State
Department would like the civilian nuclear deal to be cleared
by September 26, the formal target adjournment date for the
110th Congress.
Given the 30-day rule for consideration of the pact while
only ten legislative days are left, all eyes are on the Party
leaders -- Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy
Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on how they are
going to carry this through by September 26.
But there are increasing indications that Congress may
come back for a Lame-Duck session to address pending issues,
including perhaps the civilian nuclear deal if not cleared by
the time. PTI SK
AMT
NNNN
The information contained in this electronic message and any attachments to this
message are intended for the exclusive use of the addressee(s) and may contain
proprietary, confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended
recipient, you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify
the sender immediately and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments
contained in it.
