Congressional Statements

Rep. Ackerman Applauds Permanent Sanctions Waiver As a Great Victory for U.S.-India Relations

Press Release
October 8, 1999

Congressman Gary L. Ackerman (D-N.Y.), Cochairman of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans tonight hailed the House-Senate conferees on the Defense Appropriations Bill for adopting a broad-based waiver of sanction authority to the President placing U.S.-India relations on a new and exciting foundation.

"With the removal of the stigma and obstacles of sanctions, a new day has dawned in U.S.-India relations," Rep. Ackerman said, adding: "This is one of the biggest victories we have scored in the foreign policy arena on the Hill in recent times."

"I am delighted that this legislative action allows both nations to put the sanctions issue behind them. It is a superb legislative achievement and a political triumph for pro-India forces in the United States."

Rep. Ackerman, a leading member of the House International Relations Committee, said: "The achievement on this sanctions legislation stands out as a major legislative imitative in the area of foreign policy. This could not have happened but for the transformation in the image and credibility of India. And the turning point was Kargil.

"This sanctions relief bill is the manifestation of both Congress and the Administration taking India very seriously and wanting to engage New Delhi in a higher-level of relationship. This bill also signifies the end of Cold War thinking and clears the deck for a fundamentally new kind of relationship between our two great nations."

Rep. Ackerman, who doggedly fought for getting the permanent waiver authority, said: "This legislative initiative on sanctions allows for a defense relationship to begin and develop between United States and India, which is currently not possible because of legislative restrictions. A high level of military contact and cooperation is a pre-requite for any strategic partnership to evolve between Washington and New Delhi and this legislation helps in making that happen by opening the door for military cooperation."

He said: "The promoters of the India sanctions relief legislation worked assiduously since January to win widespread congressional support for a full reversal in favor of flexibility on India, Pakistan sanctions. Those who clearly understood the legislation and its intent as well as what it implies for the future can come to no other reasonable conclusion but that this is a huge victory for pro-India forces as it is the birth of an even greater relationship for our two great nations. It is clearly in the interest of the United States for the Administration to have as much flexibility as possible to pursue a new, broader and substantive relationship with India. And this bills empowers them to do so."

Rep. Ackerman declared: "This is a big victory for India reflecting a new basis for mutual respect between the world's two largest democracies. In removing the legislative mandate requiring the imposition of sanctions, both Congress and the Administration have concurred that sanctions should not be the impediment in the development of warmer relations between the two countries."

"Sanctions have been a major impediment in paving the way for better relations between our two nations. With Congress empowering the President with permanent waiver authority, this impediment has been removed. Now I urge the Administration to push ahead with an aggressive and positive approach aimed at speeding up better economic, political, strategic and people-to-people relations with India - the bulwark of democratic traditions in the Asian theater," he said.

"I now also respectfully urge the new Vajpayee Administration, which will shortly be inaugurated in New Delhi, to continue to shed old suspicions and bugaboos toward Washington's intentions and join with pro-India forces in the United States so as to elevate the relations between our two great nations to yet a higher plane," he added.

"It's imperative that our two nations work closely in political, strategic and economic arenas to preserve stability not only in Asia, but in the world," the New York lawmaker said.

He asserted: "It is in this context that it's increasingly becoming clear that President Clinton begin firming up his plans to visit India early next year. The permanent sanctions waiver authority removes a major hurdle in making this visit a reality. It's been 23 years since an American President has visited India. That is a long time - And there should be no more delay."

The sanctions relief measure was made possible because of the superb lobbying efforts of the ever-vigilant Indian American community, who worked in synergistic unison with Corporate America. This alliance, along with the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, ensured that we were able to work out a win-win piece of legislation that is beneficial to the United States and is beneficial to India. I salute the Indian American community and the U.S. business organizations for their vigilance and tenacity and thank my legislative colleagues for making this happen."