Washington, DC. The US-India Business Alliance (AUSIB) welcomed the passage of the U.S.-India nuclear pact. The legislation (H.R. 7081) passed the U.S. House of Representatives on September 27, 2008 by a vote of 298 to 117, with one member voting present. It went through the Senate by bipartisan vote of 86-13 on Wednesday, October 1, 2008.

The U.S.-India nuclear agreement has been in progress since July 2005. In December 2006, the U.S. Congress passed the Henry J. Hyde U.S.-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act, which provided a framework in U.S. law for facilitating civil nuclear cooperation with India. The vote marks the final step before President Bush's signature, and before an expected signing of the agreement by both Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Saturday.

AUSIB, its members and the Indian American community have worked tirelessly to see the passage of this agreement for the past 3 years. The efforts have included grass root activism around the nation and working on a daily basis with members of Congress and their staff on Capitol Hill.

Co-Chair of the Task Force and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia, Pacific and the Global Environment of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep Eni Faleomavaega (D-AS) said "Given the importance of this vote and partnership, I commend AUSIB for the historic role it played in uniting the Indian American community in a way that has never been done before. AUSIB was first on the Hill every step of the way, from the time this deal was not so popular until it was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, and I am confident AUSIB will be there until the deal is finally signed by the President. AUSIB's grass roots advocacy has made a real difference in getting this deal done".

"I commend Mr. Puri, President of AUSIB, for the important work he has done on the US-India nuclear deal, in cooperation with the Congressional Taskforce on US-India Trade," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said.

Sanjay Puri, President, AUSIB said: "This process has had its ups and downs since the Bush-Singh statement of July 18, 2005, but both governments are to be commended for their persistence." "We are proud of the efforts put in by members of Congress to see the successful passage of this agreement in a very tight Congressional calendar in an election year." There already are major opportunities for US companies to export high-technology products to India in diverse sectors. US exports to India are in fact growing faster than imports from there, excluding the trade in services. With US companies now being able to participate in India's civil nuclear expansion, these export-related opportunities will multiply.

About AUSIB
The U.S.-India Business Alliance (AUSIB) is a trade association based in Washington, DC. By drawing its strength from the Indian-American community, AUSIB is recognized today as one of the most influential trade groups working for increased commerce between the United States and India. For more information, go to www.ausib.org.