Nuclear Bill third on Lame Duck session priorities

THE White House, it is understood, has indicated to the office of Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist, that the pending Indo-US civilian nuclear bill be treated among top three legislative priorities for the lame duck session of the Congress on November 13. However, friends of India at the Capitol Hill contend this is not enough to guarantee the passage of the bill as it is ranked at the bottom of the top three.

The communication to this effect, reliable Capitol Hill sources said, is believed to have been made to the Frist office early last week. While the leaders are busy campaigning for November 7 mid-term elections, staff of the Congressmen has already started preparing businesses for the lame duck session.

However, what has disturbed the large pro-India lobby at the Capitol are the two legislative priorities, indicated by White House, ahead of the Indian bill. Number one on the White House list, sources revealed, is the passage of the legislation creating permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status for Vietnam. Sources said President George Bush is keen this be passed by the Congress before his scheduled Vietnam trip to attend the two-day Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Forum meet on November 18 and19. The bill, in this regard, pending in the Congress has a wide bi-partisan support.

Second on list of priorities is the domestic terrorism surveillance bill, a war time priority of the Bush Administration that could not be passed earlier. The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives, but is stuck in the Senate.

Then comes the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear Bill, which despite repeated assertion from the top State Department officials that this is the top concern of the Bush Administration, has been indicated by the White House that it be treated at number three. It is feared that if any of these two legislations become a point of difference between Republicans and Democrats, the chances of the Indian bill being brought to the floor of the Senate and then the possible voting would diminish.

Given the vulnerability and uncertainty associated with the lame duck session and huge business agenda pending before it, pro-India Congressnal sources say the chances of the bill being brought to the floor would enhance only if it is top on the list of priorities.

Congressnal observers expressed surprise as to how Vietnam has outrun India to suddenly become a top priority for the Bush Administration. This is a bit shocking for us, a source said. If the debate on the first two bills takes longer than expected, the Indian bill would have to be sacrificed, they say.

Meanwhile, offices of the Senate Majority and Minority leaders continued to negotiate on the process to be followed for debate on the Indian Civil Nuclear Bill. A group of friends of India is believed to have met both First and the Minority Leader, Henry Reid, to pursue the issue. Reid is understood to have said the Republicans are willing to go for it, provided they were given one and half days time for debate on the bill.