WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force on Nonproliferation, today responded with skepticism to claims that the 123 agreement for nuclear cooperation between the United States and India fully complies with the letter and spirit of the Hyde Act and the Atomic Energy Act.Rep. Markey said, “If the US-India agreement is really consistent with the letter and spirit of the Hyde Act, as the administration claims, why won’t they release the text? If they’re afraid of letting us read the document, then I can only surmise that it includes provisions they fear will raise the hackles of Congress. They’re turning the Hyde Act into the hide-and-go-seek act, but no level of diplomatic double-speak will stop Congress from investigating why India is claiming such enormous concessions.

“The key question is: has President Bush forced concessions to be made to India which do not conform to the intentions of the Hyde Act? Of course the Administration will argue that they aren’t breaking the law, but I think that folks up on the Hill have become increasingly skeptical of the Administration’s legal arguments.

“In the past, the President has said, correctly, that reprocessing and enrichment are not necessary for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. But now he has apparently reversed course and decided to allow India to reprocess all U.S.-origin fuel. This is a huge departure from the President’s long-standing policy, and Congress is going to want to know how his policies and his actions can possibly match up.”

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