Indo-US N-deal faces two amendments as Senate prepares to vote

Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington, Oct 1 (PTI) Two amendments that can break the
Indo-U.S. nuclear deal have been proposed as the U.S. Senate
takes up for voting today the legislation that can stamp its
seal of approval to the landmark agreement between the two
countries.

Two Senators, Byron Dorgan and Jeff Bingaman, both
Democrats, have introduced two amendments to ensure that U.S.
nuclear exports to India do not help boost India's nuclear
weapons programme.

Already approved by the House of Representatives, the
Bill has a paragraph that the U.S. can cease nuclear
cooperation with India if New Delhi conducts a test.

The amendment proposed by Dorgan says that
"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the U.S. may not
export, transfer, or re-transfer any nuclear technology,
material, equipment, or facility under the Agreement if the
Government of India detonates a nuclear explosive device after
the date of the enactment of this Act."

Bingaman has proposed that if India detonates a
nuclear weapon after the date of the enactment of the Act, the
U.S. President has to certify to Congress that no American
technology, material, equipment, or facility supplied to India
under the Agreement assisted New Delhi's test.

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

Earlier, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid announced
that the Bill HR 7081 as passed by the House of
Representatives on Saturday will be brought for consideration
for a 60-minute discussion as the first thing after the House
convenes today.

He also said that the Senate would also consider two
amendments sought by Dorgan and Bingaman.

"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 Tuesday.
He said the Bill will be considered for an hour of
limited debate with the time equally and controlled between
the leaders or designees. Thirty minutes will be given to two
Democrat Senators-- Russell Feingold and Tom Harkin.

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achieve that threshold, then it was to be withdrawn.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

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 US
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.
PTI SK
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