Six senators appointed as conferees on Indo-US nuclear deal

In the first formal step towards finalisation of the Indo-US nuclear deal, six senators were on Monday appointed as conferees for the committee, which will thrash out the language of the legislation to be adopted.

The six Senate conferees, four Republicans and two Democrats, are Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar and Ranking Member of the panel Joseph Biden, Senators Chuck Hagel, George Allen, Majority Leader Bill Frist and Christopher Dodd.

All six voted in support of the Civilian Nuclear deal on November 16 when it passed the Senate by a thumping 85 to 12 margin.

The announcement was made when the Senate re-convened very briefly for a business session on Monday.

The House of Representatives is gathering for its session tomorrow when its list of Conferees for the Conference Committee on the civilian nuclear deal is expected to be announced.

The pre-conferencing of senior staffers has already taken place over the weekend with lawmakers due to start their deliberations on Tuesday, sources told PTI.

The final version of the legislation pertaining to the civilian nuclear deal is expected to clear the House by Thursday following which it will be immediately taken up in the Senate and voted upon.

The final language of the legislation will have to be passed again by the House and Senate prior to going to the White House for President George W Bush's signature.

Indications currently are that the Senate Majority leader has plans to wrap up the Lame Duck session on December 8 and in the process bringing down the curtains on the 109th Congress.