Waiving points Of Order Against Conference Report On H.R. 5682, Henry J. Hyde U.S.-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006

WAIVING POINTS OF ORDER AGAINST CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5682, HENRY J. HYDE U.S.-INDIA PEACEFUL ATOMIC ENERGY COOPERATION ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - December 08, 2006)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of The U.S.-India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act. As Chairman HENRY HYDE said earlier in the year in the House Rules Committee, this is the single most important piece of legislation that has come through the International Relations Committee this year and we must do everything in our power to pass it today.

India, the world's largest democracy, and the United States, the world's oldest democracy, must come together and strengthen their friendship. After centuries of an unsteady relationship, there has been a dramatic improvement starting with the Clinton Administration and continuing today.

This bill tells India that we believe in them, and that we want to support them just like they have consistently supported us.

The Civilian Nuclear Initiative will deepen the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership. The initiative reflects U.S. trust in India as a global tactical partner and indicates our admiration for India's democratic traditions, her commitment to tolerance and her commitment to freedom.

I, as well as many of our colleagues, have had the great pleasure of traveling to the country of India on several different occasions. Any person who goes to India recognizes the crucial necessity of clean.

This legislation will provide production of clean energy and can potentially reduce further pollution on the environment through decreasing the dependency on fossil fuels. Civil nuclear cooperation is vital to the development of a clean and safe environment for our Indian friends.

As our distinguished colleague and incoming Chairman TOM LANTOS said in July and no doubt will repeat shortly, India is a nuclear nonproliferator. India has pledged to identify and separate her civil and military nuclear facilities and programs and place the civil portions under IAEA safeguards.

India, America's strongest ally in the Southeast Asia region, is on the verge of an energy crisis. India is the sixth largest energy consumer in the world, but in order to maintain their strong economic growth, India's energy consumption will need to increase substantially.

The facts are astounding, and civilian nuclear cooperation is the only way India's energy can remain secure.

I urge my colleagues to vote for the rule and the underlying bill.

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