US Senate set to vote on Indo-US N-deal

Washington, Oct 1 (PTI) The US Senate is all set to
take up the vote on the Indo-U.S. Civil Nuclear agreement
Wednesday with possible amendments to the landmark accord,
Majority leader of the Upper House has said.

Senate leader Harry Reid announced that the Bill HR
7081 as passed by the House of Representatives three days ago
will be brought for consideration for a 60-minute discussion
as the first thing after the House convenes for the day.

The top Nevada Democrat also said that the Senate
would also consider two amendments seeking to deal with the
U.S. reaction should India conduct another atomic test.
However, he did not reveal any further details.

Reid said that one of the amendments is by Senator
Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico.

"Vote on Wednesday. Two amendments to Indo-U.S.
nuclear deal. Final passage on the accord," Reid's
communications director Jim Manley said in an email message to
PTI.

"I ask unanimous consent that after the prayer and
pledge, my remarks and any remarks of the leaders on
Wednesday, October 1, the Senate proceed to the consideration
of HR 7081, which is at the desk," Reid said on the floor of
the Senate late last evening.

"The bill be considered under the following
limitations, 60 minutes of limited debate with the time
equally and controlled between the leaders or designees, and
the only amendments in the order be only those," he said,
adding 30 minutes will be given to Democrat Senators from
Wisconsin Russell Feingold and Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Senator Reid also referred to the Bingaman amendment
"in event of the Indian test" but did not specify what the
amendment was or the other amendment that the Senate is
expected to consider.

"... the amendment be subject to a 60-vote threshold
and if the amendment achieves that threshold, it be agreed
to," Reid said, making the point that if the amendment does
not achieve that threshold, that it was to be withdrawn.

"... with respect to each amendment the Senate proceed
to vote upon disposition of all amendments, the general debate
time, the bill be read a third time, the Senate proceed to
pass on the bill and the passage of the bill requires 60
votes," Senator Reid said.

The top Senate leader said that the final vote on the
Bill will not come until after 7 pm on Wednesday (after 4:30
am IST on Thursday).

"At 7:00 pm (Wednesday Washington Time) that the House
(Senate) resume to HR 25 that the time is equally controlled
between the leaders and designees," Reid said.

He said "Senate proceed to vote on the motion to
concur on the House amendment to the Senate bill upon the
disposition of the House message."

"The Senate resume consideration of HR 7081, the
India-US cooperative agreement, and that the amendment be
voted in the order of offered on Wednesday October 1, there
be two minutes of debate prior to each vote equally divided
and controlled and after the vote on each sequence, the
succeeded votes be 10 minutes in duration," Senator Reid said.

Unlike the House of Representatives which needed a
two-thirds majority, the Senate requires only a simple
majority to approve the legislation.

A clearance in the Senate will allow India and the
U.S. to sign the landmark accord and resume bilateral nuclear
trade. India has already signed a civil atomic cooperation
agreement with France, ending 34-years of nuclear isolation.