Despite the United Progressive Alliance government vowing to go ahead with the Indo-US nuclear deal undeterred by its political fallout, the landmark accord may still not get through the current session of Congress in Washington, leaving the door open for India to pursue atomic trade with other countries, a media report said on Wednesday.
The key enabling legislation passed in 2006, the Hyde Act, has a requirement that Congress should be in continuous session for 30 days to consider the final package from the Bush administration; and Congressional aides have maintained that the clock will begin to tick only when New Delhi gets through the International Atomic Energy Agency and Nuclear Suppliers Group,
The Washington Post reported.
What is being pointed out is that because of the August recess, less than 40 days are left in session before Congress adjourns on September 26.
"At this point, both the IAEA and NSG actions have to take place in the next couple of weeks" for the deal to be considered by Congress, Lynne Weil, spokeswoman for the House Foreign Affairs Committee told
The Post.
What is also being pointed out is that the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said there would not be a lame duck session of Congress after the November 4
Presidential elections where the Democrats are expected to gain significantly in the House and the Senate and even capture the White House.
With the "near impossibility" of congressional passage by year-end, officials and experts have begun to focus on the possibility that other countries like France and Russia would rush in to make nuclear sales to India while US firms still face legal restrictions.