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WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Bush rushed a U.S.-India civilian nuclear cooperation deal to Congress late Wednesday with hopes that lawmakers will expedite passage of one of his top foreign policy initiatives.
There is little time left on the congressional calendar to pass the accord, which would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by shipping atomic fuel to India in return for international inspections of India's civilian reactors.
With only about three weeks remaining before Congress recesses for the year, the Bush administration needs lawmakers' help to overcome a law that says Congress may not ratify the accord for 30 working days after receiving it. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Wednesday with India's defense minister and continued a push to persuade senior Democratic lawmakers to allow quick passage of the deal.
Democrats control the House and the Senate, and Rice has been appealing to crucial lawmakers to discuss the accord, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Lawmakers are scheduled to leave Washington at the end of the month to campaign for the November elections. Barring passage of legislation to scrap the 30-day waiting period, Congress does not appear to have enough days left to ratify the deal.
A good thing from both sides. More trade means greater access to one of the fastest growing economies in the world, at at least some degree of control over their weapons grade material.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Bush rushed a U.S.-India civilian nuclear cooperation deal to Congress late Wednesday with hopes that lawmakers will expedite passage of one of his top foreign policy initiatives.
There is little time left on the congressional calendar to pass the accord, which would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by shipping atomic fuel to India in return for international inspections of India's civilian reactors.
With only about three weeks remaining before Congress recesses for the year, the Bush administration needs lawmakers' help to overcome a law that says Congress may not ratify the accord for 30 working days after receiving it. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Wednesday with India's defense minister and continued a push to persuade senior Democratic lawmakers to allow quick passage of the deal.
Democrats control the House and the Senate, and Rice has been appealing to crucial lawmakers to discuss the accord, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Lawmakers are scheduled to leave Washington at the end of the month to campaign for the November elections. Barring passage of legislation to scrap the 30-day waiting period, Congress does not appear to have enough days left to ratify the deal.
A good thing from both sides. More trade means greater access to one of the fastest growing economies in the world, at at least some degree of control over their weapons grade material.
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