Nuke deal is 3rd on White House list for lame duck session

However, what have disturbed the “peace of mind” of the large pro-India group at the Capitol are the two legislative priorities, indicated by White House, ahead of the Indian bill. Number one on the White House list, reliable 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 in Hanoi on November 18 and19. The bill, in this regard, pending in the Congress has a wide bi-partisan support.

Second on list of priorities after Vietnam, sources said is the passage of the domestic terrorism surveillance bill, one of the war time priorities of the Bush Administration that could not be passed earlier and is awaiting lame duck approval of the Senate to see light of the day. The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives, but is now 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” and “top priority” 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 dispute or 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 told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity that the chances of the bill being brought to the floor would be bright only if it is top in the list of priorities.

Many of the Congressnal observers who are keeping a close track of the sequence of events at the Capitol expressed surprise as to how ” Vietnam” has suddenly become a top priority for the Bush Administration and India has fallen back. “This is little bit shocking for us,” one source said. Even if the debate on the first two bills takes longer time than expected, the Indian bill would have to be sacrificed.

Given the poll trends, which indicate a Democratic edge over the Republicans, sources said in that case the Democrats would try to conclude the lame duck session as quickly as possible. “You never know, how many days they would be there for lame duck session. All depends on what the election results are,” the source said.

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. With the White House news slowly coming out of the Capitol, 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 of time for debate the bill.

Given the turn of events in the past few weeks, one source said now the lobbying effort has to be done with the White House to change the list of priorities and bring it above all others. “It is only then we can ensure its passage during this lame duck session,” he said, adding that as of now signals coming from the White House are “disturbing”.