Conference Report On H.R. 5682, Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006
CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 5682, HENRY J. HYDE UNITED STATES-INDIA PEACEFUL ATOMIC ENERGY COOPERATION ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - December 08, 2006)
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Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the President has said that legislation to permit the establishment of civil nuclear trade with India is essential to establishing a new global partnership between the United States and India. The conference report before this House is the product of more than a year of effort by Members and staff of the House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is based on the separate bills passed overwhelmingly in the House and the Senate and preserves the key provisions of both.
The conferees believe that this report represents a judicious balancing of competing priorities that encompass a broad range of subjects from U.S. policy in South Asia to the highly technical and complex world of nuclear export licenses. It is the product of months of discussions with the administration regarding virtually every section, and the conferees have gone to great lengths to accommodate the administration on its issues of concern.
I would like to express my appreciation for the cooperation of the Committee on Science, the Judiciary, Energy, Government Reform, Armed Services and Rules in helping expedite the consideration of this conference report. Their cooperation should not be interpreted as having any impact on their rights under the jurisdictional rules and precedents of the House.
I insert for the RECORD some correspondence related to this issue.
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE,
Washington, DC, December 5, 2006.
Hon. HENRY J. HYDE,
Chairman, Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
DEAR CHAIRMAN HYDE: I write concerning H.R. 5682, the Henry J. Hyde United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006, as amended. As you know, the Committee on Energy and Commerce has jurisdiction over Title II of the amended text.
I recognize your desire to bring this legislation before the House in an expeditious manner. Accordingly, I will not exercise my Committee's right to a full referral on the bill. By agreeing to waive its consideration of the bill, however, the Committee on Energy and Commerce does not waive its jurisdiction over H.R. 5682.
Thank you for your attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
Joe Barton,
Chairman.
COMMITTEE ON
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS,
Washington, DC, December 5, 2006.
Hon. DUNCAN HUNTER,
Chairman, Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 5682, relating to nuclear energy cooperation between the United States and India. I agree that the Committee on Armed Services has valid jurisdictional claims to certain provisions in this important legislation, and I am most appreciative of your decision not to seek appointment of conferees in the interest of concluding the conference on H.R. 5682. I agree that by foregoing the appointment of conferees, the Committee on Armed Services is not waiving its jurisdiction. Further, this exchange of letters will be included in the Congressional Record during consideration of the conference report on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Henry Hyde,
Chairman.
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS,
Washington, DC, December 5, 2006.
Hon. JOE BARTON,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
DEAR CHAIRMAN BARTON: I write concerning H.R. 5682, the Henry J. Hyde United States and India Nuclear Cooperation Promotion Act of 2006, as amended.
I appreciate the fact that, although the Committee on Energy and Commerce has jurisdiction over substantial parts of Title II, you have been gracious enough not to exercise your Committee's right to a full referral on the bill, in order to expedite its consideration in the House consideration.
I acknowledge that by agreeing to waive its consideration of the bill, the Energy and Commerce Committee is not waiving any of its jurisdiction over the bill.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Henry J. Hyde,
Chairman.
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES,
Washington, DC, December 5, 2006.
Hon. HENRY HYDE,
Chairman, Committee on International Relations, Washington, DC.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: On November 16, 2006, the Senate passed by unanimous consent S. 3709, the United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act. As you know certain provisions in S. 3709 fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Armed Services.
Our Committee recognizes the importance of S. 3709 and the need for the legislation to move expeditiously. Therefore, while we have a valid claim to jurisdiction over certain provisions and would otherwise be entitled to the appointment of conferees, the Committee on Armed Services will not seek appointment on S. 3709 given the time constraints.
I would appreciate the inclusion of this letter and a copy of your response in the Congressional Record during consideration of the conference report on the House floor.
With best wishes.
Sincerely,
Duncan Hunter,
Chairman.
COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM,
Washington, DC, December 8, 2006.
Hon. Henry. J. Hyde
,
Chairman, Committee on International Relations, House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The House is scheduled to consider today the conference report on H.R. 5682, the ``United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act.'' Thank you for consulting with the Committee on Government Reform regarding section 231 regarding the protection of confidentiality of information.
While I am unable to support the policy set forth in section 231, I will not object to H.R. 5682 moving to the floor. I do so only with the understanding that this procedural route will not prejudice the Committee's jurisdictional interest and its prerogatives in this bill or similar legislation in the future.
I request that you include our exchange of letters on this matter in the Congressional Record during consideration, of this bill on the House floor. Thank you for your attention to these matters.
Sincerely,
Tom Davis,
Chairman.
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS,
December 8, 2006.
Hon. TOM DAVIS,
Chairman, House Committee on Government Reform, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: I am writing to you concerning the conference report for H.R. 5682, the ``United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act.'' Section 231, regarding the protection of confidentiality of information, is within the jurisdiction of your Committee.
In the interest of permitting this House to proceed expeditiously to consider the conference report for H.R. 5682, I appreciate your willingness to support this conference report moving to the floor. I understand that such a waiver only applies to this language in this bill, and not to the underlying subject matter.
I appreciate you willingness to allow us to proceed. I will insert this exchange of letters into the Congressional Record during the debate on this bill.
Sincerely,
HENRY J. HYDE,
Chairman.
COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE
Washington, DC, December 8, 2006.
Hon. HENRY J. HYDE,
Chairman, Committee on International Relations, Washington, DC.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: I am writing regarding the jurisdictional interest of the Science Committee in H.R. 5682 as amended by the Senate, and the Conference Report to the Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of 2006 (H. Rpt. 109-721). The Science Committee has jurisdiction over Title II, United States Additional Protocol Implementation.
The Science Committee recognizes the importance of H.R. 5682 and the Conference Report and the need for the legislation to move expeditiously. Therefore, I will not stand in the way of floor consideration. This, of course, is conditional on our mutual understanding that nothing in this legislation or my decision to allow the bill to come to the floor waives, reduces or otherwise affects the jurisdiction of the Science Committee, and that a copy of this letter and your letter in response will be included in the Congressional Record when the Conference Report is considered on the House Floor.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Sherwood Boehlert,
Chairman.
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS,
December 8, 2006.
Hon. SHERWOOD BOEHLERT,
Chairman, Committee on Science, Washington, DC.
DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for your letter regarding the jurisdictional interest of the Science Committee in H.R. 5682 as amended by the Senate, and the Conference Report to the Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act of2006 (H. Rpt. 109-721). I appreciate your willingness to work with me so that is important legislation can move expeditiously.
By allowing the Conference Report to be scheduled for floor consideration, I agree that the Committee on Science has not waived, reduced or otherwise affected the jurisdiction of the Science Committee, nor should this action be taken as precedent for other bills. I further agree that a copy of our exchange of letters will be included in the Congressional Record when the Conference Report is considered on the House Floor.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Henry Hyde,
Chairman.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation provides the President with the authority he requires to permit the establishment of civil nuclear cooperation with India while also protecting the traditional congressional prerogatives in approving agreements of this type. It also strengthens the global nonproliferation regime by ensuring that India will become a full and active participant in efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons capability, especially regarding Iran.
The conferees believe this conference report will pass overwhelmingly in both houses and quickly be signed by the President. Upon signing, the President will be able to proceed with the negotiation of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India that will become the cornerstone of a new and cooperative partnership between the U.S. and India, the world's two largest democracies.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and urge my colleagues to vote for its passage.
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