[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 156 (Sunday, September 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 UNITED STATES-INDIA NUCLEAR COOPERATION APPROVAL AND NONPROLIFERATION 
                            ENHANCEMENT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7081, the 
United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation 
Enhancement Act.
  Today, the House will consider the culmination of 3 years of 
difficult work in Washington and New Delhi and take the final step to 
fashion a new policy toward India, one that reflects the realities of 
the 21st century and acknowledges India's emergence onto the world 
stage.
  The bill before us will give Congressional approval to civil nuclear 
cooperation with India. Let me tell you what that means. It means that 
the IAEA will be able to inspect two-thirds of India's civilian nuclear 
facilities, because those facilities will be under IAEA safeguards and 
all future civilian nuclear facilities will also be under safeguards. 
It means that India, for the first time ever, has committed to MTCR 
guidelines. It means that India, for the first time ever, will adhere 
to Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines. It means that India and the IAEA 
are making substantial progress toward an Additional Protocol. It means 
that India is committed to working with us to conclude a Fissile 
Material Cut-off Treaty. It means that we can send a clear message to 
nuclear rogue states about how to behave, because it shows that 
responsible nuclear powers are welcomed by the international community 
not sanctioned; and it means that we can finally achieve the broad, 
deep and enduring strategic relationship with India, that all of us in 
this House support. So if you wanted all these things 2 years ago when 
we established this process, then you are for this bill now.
  Some Members have expressed concern that the agreement with India 
doesn't go far enough, that it doesn't rollback India's nuclear weapons 
program, that it doesn't include all of India's nuclear facilities, and 
that it sends the wrong message to rogue regimes like Iran and North 
Korea.
  For 30 years Mr. Speaker, U.S. policy toward India has been defined 
and constrained by our insistence on punishing India for its sovereign 
decision not to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Truth be 
told, had India conducted its nuclear tests earlier, it would have been 
treated like China, Russia, France, Britain, and the United States: In 
short, as a grandfathered member of the nuclear weapons club. But they 
did not and nothing we have tried over the last 3 decades has convinced 
them to give up their nuclear weapons. And nothing we say over the next 
3 decades will convince them either. India is a responsible nuclear 
power and deserves to be treated that way. The bill before us does just 
that.
  Critics have expressed concerns regarding the agreement's impact on 
our nonproliferation policy and clearly Iran, Pakistan, and North Korea 
are all looking for clues about what this deal means for them and their 
nuclear programs. I think the message is clear: If you want to be 
treated like India, be like India. Be a responsible international actor 
with regard to WMD technologies, don't sell your nuclear technologies 
to the highest bidder, don't provide it to terrorists, be a democracy, 
a real democracy, and work with us on important foreign policy 
objectives not against us. That's the message we send today.
  Does it warm your heart and make you comfortable that Iran and North 
Korea signed the NPT and are now running away from their freely 
accepted obligations and away from IAEA inspections?
  True, India did not sign the NPT yet it is embracing the IAEA, 
embracing global nonproliferation norms and is a democracy. India's 
attitude should be recognized and commended.
  There are two options before us today. One is to throw away all the 
work that has been done since July 2005 and keep the status quo. India 
will pursue its national interests as it has been doing outside the 
nonproliferation mainstream and we inspect nothing. The other is to 
make the deal with India and get for the United States and the 
international community a window in perpetuity into two-thirds of 
India's existing nuclear facilities and all of its future civilian 
nuclear facilities.
  I think the choice is clear. This bill before us brings India into 
the nonproliferation mainstream and gets the United States and the 
international community access to India's civilian nuclear facilities.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time for a 21st century policy towards India, one 
that supports and encourages India's emergence as a responsible global 
power and solidifies the United States-India bilateral relationship for 
decades to come. The bill before us today is that new policy. Vote yes 
on H.R. 7081.

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