The White House, it is understood, has indicated the office of the Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist, that the pending Indo-US civilian nuclear bill be treated among "top three" legislative priorities for the lame duck session of the Congress on November 13. Friends of India at the Capitol Hill contend that this is "not enough to guarantee" the passage of the bill as it is ranked at the bottom of the top three.

The communication to this effect, reliable Capitol Hill sources said, is believed to have been made to the Frist office early this week, most probably on October 24. While, the leaders are in the field campaigning for November 7 mid-term elections, staff of the Congressmen has already started preparing businesses for the lame duck session.

However, what have disturbed the "peace of mind" of the large pro-India group at the Capitol are the two legislative priorities, indicated by White House, ahead of the Indian bill. Number one on the White House list, reliable sources revealed, is the passage of the legislation creating permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status for Vietnam. Sources said President George Bush is keen this be passed by the Congress before his scheduled Vietnam trip to attend the two day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders forum meet in Hanoi on November 18 and19. The bill, in this regard, pending in the Congress has a wide bi-partisan support.

Second on list of priorities after Vietnam, sources said is the passage of the domestic terrorism surveillance bill, one of the war time priorities of the Bush Administration that could not be passed earlier and is awaiting lame duck approval of the Senate to see light of the day. The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives, but is now stuck in the Senate.

... contd.