United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my reluctant support for the United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act.

I support this legislation because, on balance, I think it advances U.S. national security and other national interests. I do so reluctantly because of the risk that it weakens our efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear material and nuclear technology.

I ultimately support this measure for three major reasons:

First, this agreement will create more international supervision of India's nuclear fuel cycle than there would be without it. India and the International Atomic Energy Agency have agreed to new safeguards for Indian civilian nuclear plants. In addition, over the last 30 years India has voluntarily imposed safeguards on its nuclear program and has established an excellent record on non-proliferation. While India is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it has maintained strict controls on its nuclear technology and has demonstrated that it is committed to being a responsible nuclear steward. That is one the reasons that the 45 nation Nuclear Suppliers Group granted India a waver to permit it to purchase fuel and technology.

Second, India is a country with a large, well-established, multicultural and multireligious democracy. Building a strategic relationship with India will further our interests in the region and send a strong signal that responsible conduct is recognized. India's conduct stands in stark contrast to that of North Korea, which is a signatory of the NPT but has violated its responsibilities under that agreement by building and testing nuclear weapons.

Third, this bill is important for how it may impact India's growing contribution to global warming. India's economy is growing rapidly, swelling at more than 7 percent per year. That economic growth is fed by a voracious appetite for electricity. More than half of India's new power supplies come from coal. Displacing coal use in India with nuclear power could prevent the release of millions of tons of carbon dioxide each year into the atmosphere.

Last, in recent weeks, secret correspondence between the White House and Congress has further clarified the U.S. position on many important questions about this deal. Assistant Secretary Bergner wrote Representative TOM LANTOS in January of this year and stated in no uncertain terms that the United States will not sell sensitive nuclear technologies to India and would immediately terminate the agreement if India conducted a nuclear test.

For these reasons, I will support this agreement. But I support it with the caveat that, in the event that India tests a nuclear weapon, I will actively and strongly work to terminate the agreement.

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