Washington, D.C. -Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-CA) today introduced legislation to improve the civilian nuclear cooperation deal recently negotiated by the U.S. and India.  “I am unabashedly pro India,” Berman said. “I’m a member of the House India Caucus, and I strongly support efforts to deepen our strategic partnership with the world’s largest democracy.  However, I have serious concerns about the specific deal Congress is being asked to support.  My bill seeks to make some necessary adjustments to that agreement”

 

 “My legislation has three important features,” Berman remarked.  “First, it will apply not only to India, but to other countries that have never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.  I strongly believe this country-neutral approach is more defensible than an India-specific carve-out, which would likely encourage Russia and China to cut special deals with their friends, and thus lead to the unraveling of nonproliferation norms”

 

“Second, my legislation will establish a set of reasonable conditions that a non-NPT country must meet to become eligible for civilian nuclear cooperation with the U.S,” Berman said.  “These include halting the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons, making a binding commitment not to conduct nuclear tests, accepting IAEA safeguards on all civilian nuclear facilities and materials, and maintaining a strong export control system.  Some of these conditions will be more challenging to meet than others.  But in my view, they are essential to maintain the integrity of the global nonproliferation regime.” 

 

“Third, my bill will preserve the prerogative of Congress to examine the details of a nuclear cooperation agreement and approve it by majority vote before it goes into effect,” Berman continued.  “By contrast, under the Administration’s legislative proposal, Congress could only block even a deeply flawed nuclear cooperation agreement with India by passing a resolution of disapproval by a veto-proof two thirds majority – an almost impossible hurdle.”

 

“I accept the fact that India has nuclear weapons, and will probably never sign the NPT,” Berman said.  “And given India’s importance, and its growing need for energy, I believe it would be a mistake to rule out civilian nuclear cooperation under any circumstances.”

 

“My legislation is by no means an attempt to ‘kill’ civilian nuclear cooperation between the U.S. and India,” Berman concluded.  “Rather, it is a good-faith effort to strike an appropriate balance between two compelling U.S. national interests: enhancing our relationship with this growing power, and preserving meaningful, internationally-accepted rules on nuclear nonproliferation.”

 

 

Click below for the full text of the bill: