I / Washington October 1, 2006
With the bill enabling Indo-US nuclear deal deferred till November after high drama in the Senate, observers are now blaming pre-election theatrics and posturing by Republicans and Democrats as well procedural delays for the failure to push through the measure. The US Senate went into recess yesterday prior to the November 7 Congressional polls having failed to move the civilian nuclear deal to the floor for a debate and vote. The 'The United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006' or 'S 3709' can now be taken up at the Senate's 'Lame Duck' session in mid-November. Bush Administration's all out efforts to push the deal came a cropper as Republicans and Democrats failed to come to an understanding on the Unanimous Consent Agreement that both the Majority Leader Bill Frist and the Minority Leader Harry Reid said they were going to on Friday. Congressional observers said what was witnessed in the Senate chambers including a so-called high drama minutes before the session came to an end on Saturday morning is nothing out of the ordinary with both Republicans and Democrats indulging in some pre-election theatrics and posturing. While the Republicans blamed Democrats for blocking the legislation, the Democrats, turning the tables, argued that the Grand Old Party (Republican Party) had all the time in world between end-June and end-September but allowed the legislation to be held "hostage" to a small group of conservative Republicans. |