US readying Hyde package within 48 hrs

US Govt has said it is making an all out effort to get the 123 agreement ratified by the Congress this session.

The US government has said it is making an all out effort to get the 123 agreement ratified by the Congress this session, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice instructing staffers to ready the 8220;package8221; to be submitted before the House in a day or two.

The State Department on Tuesday said it is making a 8220;full court press8221; on the civilian nuclear deal with Congress, but the final decision of getting the package to the floor and voting on it rests with the members of the Congress.

8220;8230; the secretary made very clear to her staff today she wants to get the full Hyde amendment package of materials that the Congress says it needs from us and that8217;s required by the legislation within the next 24 to 48 hours,8221; State Department spokesperson McCormack said in his daily briefing.

He also said that Rice is planning to communicate with influential lawmakers like Howard Berman and Joseph Biden and also to the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as part of efforts to expedite the process.

8220;She the Secretary of State has made a lot of calls. She does have a lot of meetings coming up 8230;. From her perspective, this is a full court press, working with the Congress,8221; McCormack said.

8220;She8217;s going to meet with leadership8230; she8217;s spoken with Minority Leader John Boehner, with SenatorJoseph Biden. I know she intends to meet Mr Howard Berman, and she intends to meet SenatorHarry Reid, the majority leader,8221; he added.

The government, the spokesperson said, intends to reach out to the leadership on the House as well as the Senate side, besides reaching out to the supporters as well as the opponents of the deal to rope in their support.

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With time running out, the Bush Administration has put on fast track the process for approval of the nuclear deal by the US Congress before the end of the incumbent President8217;s term.

Current law requires Congress to consider the nuclear deal package for 30 continuous legislative days before voting on it.

If no lame duck session is held after the November 4 US Presidential elections, Congress would need to waive the 30-day requirement in order to be able to vote on the deal before the last day of the congressional session, now set for September 26.

The Spokesman said while the administration8217;s focus is on convincing lawmakers that the deal is in the interest of America, the government believed the accord could be ratified in the Congress.

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8220;8230; that8217;s what the secretary has conveyed to her staff, that she wants to get this up to the Hill as soon as we possibly can to give the Hill everything that they need in order to make an informed decision,8221; McCormack said, when asked whether the procedures could be completed in the next 24 to 48 hours.

8220;We think that there8217;s a possibility of getting this passed,8221; he added.

McCormack, however, maintained that procedures outlined in the Hyde Act like a 30-day timeline are parliamentary questions and could only be answered by those on Capitol Hill, including a possibility of a Lame Duck session.

8220;This year we8217;re going to do everything that we possibly can,8221; he said adding, if the agreement fails to pass through the Congress 8220;it8217;s not going to be for a lack of effort by the administration8221;.