House of Representatives Passes the Indo-US Nuclear Co-operation Bill but Concerns Remain

The US House of Representatives passed the 'United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act' on July 26th 2006. This Act is also called as House Resolution 5682.

The proceedings began with the tabling of House Resolution 947, which sought for consideration of HR5682. When this was put to vote it passed with a margin of 311-112 with 9 abstentions. Of this Republicans voted for by a margin 224-1 and Democrats voted against the motion by 87-110.

This set the tone for the whole session with Democrat support for the bill lagging well behind the Republican, raising questions over whether the said Bill is really a bi-partisan effort after all.

Four important amendments and one motion to the Bill were introduced. Two were passed and two other amendments and the motion which were termed as "deal breakers" were defeated.

The First amendment was introduced by Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL). It was "to reinforce the intent of the congress that the Nuclear Cooperation into which the two governments would enter is for peaceful, productive purposes, and not military". This amendment passed by a voice vote and was later confirmed with a recorded vote which was unanimous 414-0. 219 Republicans and 194 democrats voted in favour while 11 Republicans and 7 Democrats abstained.

The Second amendment was introduced by Representative Brad Sherman (DCA). It said "before any nuclear cooperation with India can go forward, and every year thereafter, the President must certify that during the preceding year India has not increased the level of domestic uranium it sends through its weapons program". This was one of the "deal breaker" amendments which had been voted down before in the House International Relations committee(HIRC). It was voted down again in a voice vote and a later recorded vote with a margin of 268-155. Again with more republicans than democrats voting against it. 201 Republicans and 67 democrats voted against. While 25 republicans and 129 Democrats voted for this "deal breaker" amendment.

The Third amendment was moved by Representative Howard Berman (D-CA). It required that the House vote 'to restrict exports of uranium and other types of nuclear reactor fuel (defined as 'source material' and 'special nuclear material' in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954) to India until the President determines that India has halted the production of fissile material (that is, plutonium and highly enriched uranium) for use in nuclear weapons'.

Article Author: APOLLO

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