And Now, The Vote

WASHINGTON

The United States Senate is expected to debate and vote this week on a billthat would permit civilian nuclear cooperation with India.

Congressional and diplomatic sources told this correspondent the long-awaitedvote could take place on Wednesday or Thursday. The United States Congresscommenced its lame-duck session on Monday and the U.S.-India nuclear dealfeatures prominently on the agenda.

The members of Congress will go on a two-week Thanksgiving recess at the endof this week and will reconvene on December 4 to take up unfinished business.While the "second" lame duck session is expected to last until December 8,sources say this could well be extended, fueling hope for passage of the nucleardeal by the end of the session.

On Monday, both Republicans as well as Democrats indicated their intention totake up the India nuclear deal in the lame duck session. But before that theywill vote on a bill that makes permanent trade relations with Vietnam.

In his remarks Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Republican, said, "Thisweek, the Senate agenda will focus on completing the remaining appropriationsbills. And in the days and weeks ahead, we'll also need to consider thenomination of Bob Gates as Secretary of Defence, Vietnam trade legislation, andthe U.S.-- India civilian nuclear technology bill, among others."

Mr. Frist's Democratic counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid,said, "We have our mind on concluding the appropriations bills and the veryimportant nuclear agreement with the largest democracy in the world, India, andwe also want to do for a number of reasons, not the least of which the Presidentis leaving in a few days to Vietnam, we would like to see that completed withthe minimum amount of debate and amendments."

Once the Senate passes the nuclear bill it will be sent to conference -- aprocess in which differences between the House and Senate versions of the billsare reconciled. The leadership of the two chambers of Congress appointsconferees from committees which have jurisdiction over the legislation - in thiscase the House International Relations Committee and the Senate ForeignRelations Committee.

Conferees would then get together and look at parts of the bill that are notidentical and decide on which competing provisions will be accepted. This willbe followed by an up or down vote in the House and the Senate and if approved,the final bill will be sent to the president to be signed into law.

Lawmakers have a packed lame duck agenda. They are expected to holdconfirmation hearings on President George W. Bush's Defence Secretary nomineeRobert Gates, and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John R. Bolton. Thelatter faces stiff opposition from congressional Democrats and some prominentRepublicans. According to reliable sources, the White House is aware it faces anuphill battle with Mr. Bolton's confirmation and has approached ZalmayKhalilzad, currently the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, to consider taking up the U.N.post.

Meanwhile, the Indian American Security Leadership Council, a bipartisanorganization created to encourage closer ties between the U.S. and India, calledon Senators to pass the bill, a similar version of which was approvedoverwhelmingly by the House of Representatives in July.

"Now is the time for the U.S. Senate to take the steps necessary to passthis crucial legislation," said Ramesh V. Kapur, founder and president ofthe IASLC. "We believe that India, the world's largest democracy, with overhalf a century of electoral stability, is a growing military and economic forcein the region, and can help safeguard American security in a way that no othercountry in the region can."

On Wednesday, the IASLC plans to run a full-page advertisement in Roll Call,a congressional newspaper, urging the Senate to pass the bill without any killeramendments. The advertisement will be signed by IASLC supporters from nationalveterans organizations. "We have been overwhelmed by the support wereceived from veterans organizations, Indo-American leaders and other Americanswho are concerned about U.S. national security and have expressed to theirSenators the need to have this bill passed before the 109th Congressadjourns," said Mr. Kapur.