House passes India-US nuclear bill

[Saddle Bronc 124]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080927/pl_nm/...oTz4YaXWkhvaA8F

House passes India nuclear deal, senator upbeat

By Arshad Mohammed

Sat Sep 27, 6:37 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday approved an agreement to end the three-decade ban on U.S. nuclear trade with India and the top U.S. senator was upbeat about passage in the Senate.

The agreement passed the House by a margin of 298-117 and the Democrats who control the Senate hope to bring it to a vote there within days despite the opposition of some in their own party, congressional aides said.

U.S. congressional blessing is the last hurdle to the pact, which the Bush administration believes will secure a strategic partnership with the world's largest democracy, help India meet its rising energy demand and open up a market worth billions.

President George W. Bush said in a statement that House passage of the legislation was "another major step forward in achieving the transformation of the U.S.-India relationship."

He urged the Senate to approve it quickly so he could sign it into law. "Signing this bipartisan bill will help strengthen our partnership with India," Bush said.

Critics argue the deal undermines efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and sets a precedent allowing other nations to seek to buy such technology without submitting to the full range of global nonproliferation safeguards.

The agreement has drawn criticism from nonproliferation advocates because India has shunned the Nonproliferation Treaty meant to stop the spread and production of nuclear weapons as well as a companion international pact banning nuclear tests.

In the Senate, a vote has been held up by the objections of some Democrats, said congressional aides who declined to name those blocking a vote.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, urged his colleagues to drop their resistance, noting that under special rules for consideration of the nuclear deal it can ultimately be brought to a vote.

"For people who are concerned about the Indian nuclear agreement, and there are several senators that have concerns about that, all we would be doing is running out the time," he said.

"There's statutory time we have. ... We can run that out. At the end of that time, senators have 10 hours of debate time and then we vote. So there are very few hurdles we have to jump on that," he added.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

[IAMX 3,055]

Cue the Bush inexplicable laugh:

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Senate approved it yesternight. Now, the fun&games (graft to actually get the deals) begins.

US approves Indian nuclear deal

The US Senate has approved a nuclear deal with India, ending a three-decade ban on US nuclear trade with Delhi.

The 86-13 vote was the last legislative hurdle in a process that began when an agreement was reached in 2005.

The deal will give India access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel in return for inspections of its civilian, but not military, nuclear facilities.

India says the accord is vital to meet its rising energy needs. Critics say it creates a dangerous precedent.

They say it effectively allows India to expand its nuclear power industry without requiring it to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as other nations must.

The US restricted nuclear co-operation with India after it tested a nuclear weapon in 1974.

'Bipartisan support'

The US House of Representatives passed the agreement on Saturday, and the Senate's vote now means President Bush can sign it into law.

NUCLEAR POWER IN INDIA

• India has 14 reactors in commercial operation and nine under construction
• Nuclear power supplies about 3% of India's electricity
• By 2050, nuclear power is expected to provide 25% of the country's electricity
• India has limited coal and uranium reserves
• Its huge thorium reserves - about 25% of the world's total - are expected to fuel its nuclear power programme long-term

Source: Uranium Information Center

Before the Senate vote, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the agreement had "strong bipartisan support" and called it a "landmark" deal.

Although India has said it retains the right to conduct nuclear tests, the US has said the deal would be cancelled in such an eventuality.

The House of Representatives passed the agreement by 298-117 votes late on Saturday.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the deal will help India to liberate itself from "the constraints of technology denial of 34 years".

It was first agreed three years ago and is regarded as a key foreign policy priority for both the Indian and US governments.

Earlier this month, the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) lifted a ban that had denied India access to the international nuclear market.

On Tuesday, India and France signed a major co-operation pact which paves the way for the sale of French nuclear reactors to Delhi.

France is the world's second largest producer of nuclear energy after the United States. Russia has also been lobbying the Indian government hard on behalf of its firms.

Edited October 2, 2008 by CherryXS

[almaty 19]

it is popular with the ladies

[alienlovechild 75]

There shouldn't be a huge controversy on the nuclear deal with India. India already has nuclear technology and nuclear weapons since the early 70s (?). There's real need in India for power and we want reductions in greenhouse gases so there aren't many alternatives.

Pakistan and China have nukes and India makes a strong counterweight in the region to both of them.

[sly_wolf 199]

Ahh! I love that radioactive feel in my veins.

Sly

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Bush signed the House/Senate-passed deal yesterday, filliping Singh (against BJP and Communists) for 2009 election.