[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 42, Number 51 (Monday, December 25, 2006)]
[Pages 2177-2179]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Signing the
Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act 
of 2006

December 18, 2006

    Thank you all. Welcome; please be seated. Thanks for coming. Welcome 
to the White House. Today I have the honor of signing a bill that will 
strengthen the partnership between the world's two largest democracies. 
The relationship between the United States and India has never been more 
vital, and this bill will help us meet the energy and security 
challenges of the 21st century. I want to thank the Congress for 
delivering this historic bill to my desk. I'm look forward to signing 
it.
    The Henry Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy 
Cooperation Act passed with strong bipartisan support. It is a fitting 
tribute to its sponsor and the man whose name it carries. During his 32 
years in Congress, Chairman Hyde earned the respect of his colleagues on 
both sides of the aisle. I appreciate his effective and principled 
leadership. I wish him all the very best in his retirement.
    I'm proud to be joined here by Secretary of State Condi Rice. This 
bill would not have happened without her leadership. I thank very much 
the Members of the Senate and the House who have joined us up here, 
people from both parties who worked hard to get this bill passed: 
Senator Bill Frist and Senator Dick Lugar and Senator George Allen; 
Congressman Gary Ackerman; Frank Pallone; Joe Crowley; Thad McCotter. 
Thank you all for joining us. Thanks for your good work.
    I appreciate our Ambassador, David Mulford, and wife, Jeannie, for 
joining us. Thanks for your good work, Ambassador. I'm also proud to be 
joined by Ambassador Jassal. I want to thank you for coming, Ambassador.
    I thank the Indian American community leaders who are here today. 
The Indian American community was vital to explaining this strategic 
bill to our fellow citizens. I appreciate so very much your carrying the 
message not only here at home but in India. And I want you to know that 
your voice was very effective, and I welcome it.
    The United States and India are natural partners. The rivalries that 
once kept our nations apart are no more, and today, America and India 
are united by deeply held values. India is a democracy that protects 
rule of law and is accountable to its people. India is an open society 
that demands freedom of speech and freedom of religion. India is an 
important ally in the war against extremists and radicals. Like America, 
India has suffered from terrorist attacks on her own soil. And like 
America, India is committed to fighting the extremists, defeating their 
hateful ideology, and advancing the cause of human liberty around the 
world.
    The United States and India are working together to expand economic 
opportunities in both our countries. India's economy has more than 
doubled in size since 1991, and it is one of the fastest growing markets 
for American exports. If you visit India today, you are going to see a 
lot of people using goods and services made by American companies, and 
that helps raise the standard of living not only in India but here at 
home. Trade is good for both countries, and we're going to continue to 
work with India to promote free and fair trade.

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    In our meetings in Washington and in New Delhi, Prime Minister 
Singh, for whom I have a lot of respect--we discussed the importance of 
working together to meet the energy needs of our growing economies. We 
recognize that energy, clean energy is going to be important to the 
advancement of our economies. And on my visit to India earlier this 
year, we concluded an historic agreement that will allow us to share 
civilian nuclear technology and bring India's civilian nuclear program 
under the safeguards of the IAEA. This cooperation will help the people 
of India produce more of their energy from clean, safe nuclear power, 
and that, in turn, will help their economy grow. And it's in our 
interest that the Indian economy continue to grow. It helps make America 
more secure.
    As part of the agreement, the United States and India have committed 
to take a series of steps to make nuclear cooperation a reality, and 
we're going to fulfill these commitments. The bill I sign today is one 
of the most important steps, and it's going to help clear the way for us 
to move forward with this process. The bill is going to help us achieve 
four key goals.
    First, the bill will help us strengthen cooperation between India 
and United States on one of the most important challenges in the 21st 
century, and that is energy. India is now the world's fifth largest 
consumer of energy, and its demand for electricity is expected to double 
by 2015. The United States has a clear interest in helping India meet 
this demand with nuclear energy. By helping India expand its use of safe 
nuclear energy, this bill lays the foundation for a new strategic 
partnership between our two nations that will help ease India's demands 
for fossil fuels and ease pressure on global markets.
    Second, the bill will help promote economic growth. This bill helps 
open a new important market for American businesses by paving the way 
for investment in India's civilian nuclear industry for the first time 
ever. This new trade will help American companies gain new customers 
abroad and create new jobs here at home.
    Third, the bill will help make it possible for India to reduce 
emissions and improve its environment. Today, India produces nearly 70 
percent of its electricity from coal. Burning coal produces air 
pollution and greenhouse gases, and as India's economy has grown, 
emission levels have risen as well. We must break the cycle, and with 
nuclear power, we can. We can help India do so, and we can do so here at 
home by the use of nuclear power.
    Nuclear power is the one source of energy that can generate massive 
amounts of electricity without producing any air pollution or greenhouse 
gases. And by sharing advanced civilian nuclear technology, we will help 
our friend India meet its growing demand for energy and lower emissions 
at the same time.
    Finally, the bill will help keep America safe by paving the way for 
India to join the global effort to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. 
India has conducted its civilian nuclear energy program in a safe and 
responsible way for decades. Now, in return for access to American 
technology, India has agreed to open its civilian nuclear power program 
to international inspection. This is an important achievement for the 
whole world. After 30 years outside the system, India will now operate 
its civilian nuclear energy program under internationally accepted 
guidelines, and the world is going to be safer as a result.
    The bill I'm about to sign is evidence of the growing bonds of trust 
between our two countries. Congress acted quickly and passed it with 
overwhelming bipartisan support. You know why? Because the American 
people have come to see India as a friend. And I view the Prime Minister 
as a trustworthy man and a friend. I appreciate Prime Minister Singh's 
leadership on this very important issue. I look forward to continuing to 
work with him to make civil nuclear cooperation a reality.
    And now it is my honor to sign the Henry J. Hyde United States-India 
Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006.

Note: The President spoke at 10:46 a.m. in the East Room at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to India's Ambassador to the U.S. 
Raminder Singh Jassal; and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India. H.R. 
5682, approved December 18, was assigned Public Law No. 109-401.

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