US Cong may ratify deal in this session
US ambassador David C Mulford said that the 123 Agreement would go to the US Congress for ratification in the coming days.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: US ambassador David C Mulford said the 123 Agreement would go to the US Congress in the coming days. ���We hope to get the legislation before the Congress in the next few days, and then we hope for action by the Congress in this administration,��� the ambassador said.
Though he expressed confidence that bipartisan support still existed for the nuclear deal, he adopted a cautious note on whether the 123 Agreement would pass through the current Congress due to the short duration of the session.
���The legislation will be placed by the administration before the Congress and only then will we begin to get a response out of the Congress about exactly how and whether in this session they will be willing to address this issue,��� he said and added that at this point ���virtually anything is possible.���
One of the main issues facing the Bush administration is waiving the 30-day waiting period that is attached to any legislation that is placed in the US Congress, particularly the Senate. The ambassador, however, hinted that there were difficulties associated with taking that route.
���That is a rule which traditionally can be waived, but if it is waived then it opens up the possibility of any single senator being able to filibuster against whatever the measure is ... so it���s seldom used,��� he said in an interaction with reporters.
He further said nobody could ���judge what the attitude of congressional leaders��� will be to the 123 Agreement.
What has come as a shot in the arm for the administration is the stamp of approval for the nuclear deal from both presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. But the Bush administration seems to be more worried about the available time. Even on the possibility of a lame duck session, he said it would be up to the US Congress members who have not yet said anything on the matter.
Mr Mulford also predicted that the nuclear deal would pave the way for improvement of ties in other ���sensitive������ areas as well. ���I���ve always thought that in the areas where there are sensitive aspects of the relationship, usually high tech issues, defence issues and other things, the civil nuclear relationship, once that is established, it is so central and so sensitive itself that it should have a knock-on effect that���s positive into other areas,��� he added.
Though he expressed confidence that bipartisan support still existed for the nuclear deal, he adopted a cautious note on whether the 123 Agreement would pass through the current Congress due to the short duration of the session.
���The legislation will be placed by the administration before the Congress and only then will we begin to get a response out of the Congress about exactly how and whether in this session they will be willing to address this issue,��� he said and added that at this point ���virtually anything is possible.���
One of the main issues facing the Bush administration is waiving the 30-day waiting period that is attached to any legislation that is placed in the US Congress, particularly the Senate. The ambassador, however, hinted that there were difficulties associated with taking that route.
���That is a rule which traditionally can be waived, but if it is waived then it opens up the possibility of any single senator being able to filibuster against whatever the measure is ... so it���s seldom used,��� he said in an interaction with reporters.
He further said nobody could ���judge what the attitude of congressional leaders��� will be to the 123 Agreement.
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Senior officials in the Bush administration were in talks with Congress to work out a way of getting the 123 Agreement to both Houses for an up or down vote, the ambassador added.What has come as a shot in the arm for the administration is the stamp of approval for the nuclear deal from both presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. But the Bush administration seems to be more worried about the available time. Even on the possibility of a lame duck session, he said it would be up to the US Congress members who have not yet said anything on the matter.
Mr Mulford also predicted that the nuclear deal would pave the way for improvement of ties in other ���sensitive������ areas as well. ���I���ve always thought that in the areas where there are sensitive aspects of the relationship, usually high tech issues, defence issues and other things, the civil nuclear relationship, once that is established, it is so central and so sensitive itself that it should have a knock-on effect that���s positive into other areas,��� he added.
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