House panel advances US-India trade deal

Washington (Platts)--27Jun2006

An initial change to US law to allow nuclear trade with India was approved
37-5 by the House International Relations Committee June 27. The substance of
the committee bill largely tracks a Bush administration draft introduced in
March, as the panel voted down amendments to make nuclear trade contingent on
constraints on Indian production of fissile materials and other measures.
However, the committee bill rejects procedural changes the administration had
proposed for congressional review of the bilateral US-Indian cooperation
agreement now being negotiated. The administration proposal would have
"reduced the role of Congress to a bare minimum," said Illinois Republican
Henry Hyde, the committee chair. The committee bill also requires not only the
bilateral agreement, but also two other key conditions -- an India-IAEA
safeguards agreement that is "in accordance with IAEA standards, principles,
and practices," and consensus within the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group in
support of the deal -- before Congress gives its full approval to nuclear
trade with India. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to
consider its version of the legislation June 28.

 

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