Congressman Piyush 'Bobby' Jindal, the only Indian-American lawmaker in the US Congress, has taken to the House floor to make a strong pitch for the passage of the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement.

Jindal was also part of the Republican leadership in the US House of Representatives that met Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [Images]. Rice impressed upon them the importance of their stamp of approval for the deal as it's imperative for the furtherance of the US-India strategic partnership.

In the one-minute speeches that lawmakers are allowed before Congress begins its legislative business, Jindal said that the US needs to take a new approach to alleviate the acute energy problems that is facing both the US and countries like India and China.

• The Indo-US Nuclear Tango

He said it is imperative that 'we should help nations like China and India curb their exponentially increasing consumption of oil and natural gas, which is driving world prices higher.'

He noted that 'India, in particular, is looking to develop nuclear power for domestic, commercial use, and we should work with them.'

Jindal said the US-India civilian nuclear agreement 'is a good deal for both countries,' and said the deal would enable India to develop 'its own self-sustaining nuclear power sources, which will limit their need for oil and natural gas. We get a reduction in the demand for world energy, lowering prices in the process.'

'Clearly, the energy problems facing us are too big to use yesterday's thinking,' he added.

• Also See: Bush in India

Jindal also said that Rice, who was asked to speak about the priority foreign policy issues for the US, while mentioning Iraq, China and Latin America, had however said, 'I can't leave without talking about the relationship with India.'

'And she said,' Jindal recalled, 'That what sets India apart is not the economy's size, it's not the number of consumers there� what sets India apart is that India is a democracy.'

Also that 'what makes India different is the relationship between America and India is different from any of these countries that she was discussing was that while the relationship with these countries are important, the relationship with India is unique.'

Jindal said that Rice had strongly urged the Republican leadership to co-sponsor and facilitate the passage of legislation that would help consummate the US-India nuclear deal.