Bill seeking closer Indo-US ties introduced

US Congressman Jim McDermott, current co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, has introduced legislation to 'further strengthen and unite world's oldest and the largest democracies'.

McDermott, who holds the record for the most number of visits by a US lawmaker to India -- at least 21 times and counting -- introduced the US-India Inter-parliamentary Exchange Act of  2009, HR 2468, which is modelled after the existing US-Japan Legislative Exchange Program.

"India is one of our most important allies and creating an exchange program between members of the US Congress and Representatives of India's Parliament will only deepen our ties and lead to greater understanding between our countries," McDermott said, introducing the resolution, and added: "Understanding among nations is the path to stability, security, and peace in the world."

While the legislation was being prepared over the last two months, McDermott said introducing the bill now was timely since it immediately followed the elections in India.

He said he wanted it to be 'a congratulatory note to India after its historic elections' and pointed out, "I have known Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for many years and consider him to be a close friend, and this legislation is meant to begin a new chapter in the relationship between our nations."

McDermott, however, was among the few members of the House, who voted against the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal two years ago when an overwhelming majority of the members voted in favour of the agreement. But then he had told rediff.com in an interview that his vote was based on his angst over the Bush administration not briefing the US Congress fully on the accord and simply trying to stream-roll it through.

The legislation calls for a group of 12 US lawmakers to be appointed to meet annually and when Congress is not in session (except that this restriction shall not apply to meetings held in the US) with representatives of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, 'for discussion of common issues in the interest of relations between the United States and India'.

It called for half of this US Inter-parliamentary Exchange Group to be appointed by the Speaker of the House from among members of the House, and not fewer than two of whom shall be members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and including both co-chairs of the India Caucus.

The other half, according to the criteria of the legislation, were to be appointed by the President pro tempore of the US Senate, upon recommendations of the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, from among members of the Senate, not fewer than two of whom shall be members of the Foreign Relations Committee, 'unless the majority and minority leaders of the Senate determine otherwise'.

It was the prerogative of the House Speaker and the President pro tempore of the Senate to designate the chair or vice chairs of the House and Senate delegations respectively.

McDermott, in his legislation, called for the authorisation of no more than $100,000 for each fiscal year 'to assist in meeting the expenses of the US group for each fiscal year for which an appropriation is made'.