Berman to back deal, says his bill consistent with Hyde Act

Washington, Sep 26 (PTI) The Chair of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, Howard Berman, said he would vote for the
Indo-U.S. nuclear deal since a bill introduced by him ensures
Congressional oversight of the agreement and is consistent
with the provisions of the Hyde Act.

"I support peaceful nuclear cooperation with India, and
in 2006 I voted for the Hyde Act, which established a
framework for this cooperation," Berman, a strong opponent of
some provisions of the 123 agreement, said in a briefing to
Republican and Democratic colleagues, according to a statement
released by his office.

He said he was under no illusion that India will give up
its nuclear weapons as long as the five recognised nuclear
states fail to make "serious reductions in their arsenals" but
went on to add that "I believe it (deal) is a positive step to
integrate India into the global nonproliferation regime."

Berman has introduced his legislation, H.R. 7061 on the
U.S.-India civilian nuclear agreement which is expected to be
taken up in the House floor.

"I continue to have concerns about ambiguities in the
nuclear cooperation agreement that the Bush Administration
negotiated with the government of India, particularly with
regard to the potential consequences if India tests another
nuclear weapon, and to the legal status of so-called 'fuel
assurances' made by our negotiators," he said.

"This India legislation includes a number of provisions
designed to improve Congressional oversight of the India
nuclear cooperation agreement and help ensure that the
agreement is interpreted in a manner consistent with the
constraints in the Hyde Act," he said.

"I will therefore vote in support of this Agreement," the
chair of the powerful Senate panel said.

Besides expressing concern over the "ambiguities" in the
agreement, Berman, in his statement, also said he was "deeply
troubled" that the Bush Administration "completely disregarded
important nonproliferation requirements in the Hyde Act --
thus putting American companies at a competitive disadvantage
-- when seeking a special exemption for India at the Nuclear
Suppliers Group."

After a lot of drama and suspense, Berman introduced the
bill which was almost identical to the one that was
overwhelmingly adopted by the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee with a rider that all nuclear assistance to India
would cease if New Delhi conducts a test.

However, his bill had an extra paragraph that would
require that the Senate and the House versions would have to
be reconciled in a committee with the involvement of the
administration also.

Berman was also persuaded to drop killer amendments
including one on Iran that could have sabotaged the
legislation following which he introduced the bill.

The bill in the House of Representatives is expected to
be considered under suspension of the rules with about a
40-minute debate. It is not subject to amendments and a
two-thirds majority vote is required for passage.

The measure is expected to be managed by Chairman Berman
for the Democrats and the Republican Manager is expected to be
Florida Republican Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.