Indo-US nuclear bill hits procedural roadblock Thursday, December 07, 2006 11:25 [IST]
Washington: A
legislation to implement the historic Indo-US civilian nuclear deal appeared to
have hit a roadblock when Conferees of the House of Representatives and Senate
failed to file a final report with Rules Committee prior to the consideration
of the House.
At one time yesterday, there was the thinking that the Conferees' committee had
agreed on the final version of the legislation that had to clear both the House
and the Senate before the Congress adjourns this week for the year to meet in
January.
One version doing the rounds is that the legislation has become a victim of
lame duck politics in the sense that lawmakers are eager to tag legislations
that have nothing to do with India
or the terms and outlines of what the Conferees have already arrived at.
The first step before being taken up on the House floor was that the Conference
Report must be filed with the Rules Committee. That has not happened as of late
last night and for reasons unknown. Senior staffers on the Capitol Hill feigned
ignorance as to the details of the procedural 'roadblock'.
According to sources, Republican Majority Leader in House of Representatives
John Boehner appeared to be interested in attaching legislations not related to
the India Bill.
However, Kevin Smith, spokesperson of Boehner, said he did not know what was
holding up the legislation as lawmakers are still working on it.
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