Crowley Hails Passage of U.S.-India Civilian Nuclear Pact 9/27/2008 Contact: (202) 225-3965 Foreign Affairs press release CROWLEY HAILS PASSAGE OF U.S.-INDIA CIVILIAN NUCLEAR PACT Agreement is Important Achievement in Advancing U.S.-India Relations (Washington, DC) – U.S. Congressman and House Chief Deputy Whip Joseph Crowley (D-Queens & the Bronx) applauded passage today of the U.S.-India nuclear pact. This agreement will allow for the transfer of U.S. civilian nuclear technology to India and further civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries. The legislation (H.R. 7081) passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 298 to 117, with one member voting present. “I’ve dedicated the last three years to working with my colleagues in Congress and the Indian-American community to bring the U.S.-India nuclear agreement to fruition. I firmly believe that the world’s oldest and the world’s largest democracies should be working together to peacefully and responsibly develop civilian nuclear technology,” said Congressman Joseph Crowley. “Today’s passage of the final agreement is an historic moment, and the agreement’s impending enactment will cement a critical partnership that I hope will continue for decades.” The U.S.-India nuclear agreement has been in progress since July 2005, when President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Singh announced the Joint Statement that outlined cooperation between the two countries. In December 2006, the U.S. Congress passed the Henry J. Hyde U.S.-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act, which provided a framework in U.S. law for facilitating civil nuclear cooperation with India. Congressman Crowley is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the former chair of the Caucus on India and Indian Americans. As a key leader on South Asian affairs in the U.S. Congress, he helped broker the U.S.-India nuclear pact. The legislation that passed the House today is the final step in implementing this agreement, and will now be sent to the Senate for consideration. President Bush is expected to sign it into law after Senate passage. Congressman Crowley also made the following statement on the floor of the House in support of the bill: The Honorable Joseph Crowley Statement on the United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Agreement September 26, 2008 I rise in strong support of this legislation. I would like to begin by thanking Chairman Berman for his thoughtful and thorough review of this historic agreement. My friend from Florida, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, also deserves credit for her long time support of a strong U.S.-India relationship. Her advocacy helped to bring about today’s consideration of the final U.S.-India nuclear cooperation agreement. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the committee’s two former chairmen – Tom Lantos and Henry Hyde – who had such an impact on crafting the initial legislation. Both men worked on a bipartisan basis to create good relations between our two nations, and I hope as part of their legacy we have established a friendship with India that will last for years to come. I must also recognize the Indian American community for their incredible advocacy and efforts to educate members of Congress on the importance of this agreement and the U.S.-India relationship. On July 18, 2005, President Bush and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh started what we are putting in place today. The Joint Statement laid the groundwork for the cooperation our two countries will engage in over the next century. And today, we are taking the final step needed to put this agreement in place. This agreement will end India’s nuclear isolation and allow them to be brought into the nonproliferation tent with the rest of the responsible states who seek safe and efficient civilian nuclear technology. Passage of the agreement is common sense. We are uniting the world’s oldest and the world’s largest democracies in an effort to expand peaceful and responsible development of nuclear technology. If we expect India to be our ally in the 21st century we must treat them as an equal, which is what this cooperation will provide. I trust my colleagues will recognize what our future with India holds and vote for final passage of this legislation. Thank you.   Washington 2404 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 (202)225-3965 Queens 74-09 37th Ave Suite 306-B Jackson Heights, NY 11372 (718)779-1400 Co-op City 177 Dreiser Loop Bronx, NY 10475 (718)320-2314 Bronx 2800 Bruckner Blvd Bronx, NY 10465 (718)931-1400