House Republicans Voice Concerns on US-UAE Nuclear Deal On CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight

LOU DOBBS TONIGHT (loudobbs.tv.cnn.com)

Geithner Nomination Confirmed; Stimulating the Economy; Dire States; Change the Constitution; Nuclear Backlash

Aired January 26, 2009 - 19:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT [EXCERPT]. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DOBBS: A backlash building in Congress tonight against a nuclear agreement between the United States and the United Arab Emirates; the Bush administration signing that agreement in its final days. Many lawmakers, however, say the deal would make it easier for Iran to obtain American nuclear technology -- Kitty Pilgrim with our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush signed it and President Obama is stuck with it on his desk, an agreement to trade U.S. nuclear technology to the United Arab Emirates. If President Obama sends it to Congress, lawmakers would have only 90 days to act to block it. Congresswoman Ileana Ros- Lehtinen wants the deal put under a lot more scrutiny because of the UAE's close trading relationship with Iran.

REP. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN (R), FOREIGN AFFAIRS CMTE.: To be signing off on this nuclear deal as if this is our best buddy and we've got nothing to fear, I think it's a decision that we will regret five or even 10 years down the read. It's something that worries me and it should worry the American public.

PILGRIM: The UAE ambassador today gave us this statement about the UAE relationship with Iran. "The UAE government has actively endorsed and upheld all U.N. Security Council resolutions on Iran. Furthermore, the UAE has taken strong action to enhance and enforce its export control laws to prevent the transshipment of sensitive materials. This has included the interdiction and seizure of numerous shipments over the past year." But some in Congress want considerably more debate before they are comfortable with those assurances.

REP. JEFF FORTENBERRY (R), NEBRASKA: We should have strong bilateral relations and the UAE is a good trading partner with the United States. However, this is not a shipment of soybeans. It is highly sensitive nuclear material and technology.

PILGRIM: Congressional critics do not like the fact that nuclear cooperation deals are not fully debated before they are signed.

REP. ED ROYCE (R), CALIFORNIA: What we're working on is to try to change that law so that in cases like this, where there's a past history of transshipment, of not complying with nuclear safeguards that Congress actually has to physically assert and vote that approval.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PILGRIM: Now nuclear nonproliferation expert David Albright (ph) told us this evening this agreement should be examined much more thoroughly. He thinks security in the ports of the UAE is still a big concern. The UAE says it has taken strong action to tighten up its export control laws -- Lou.

DOBBS: Kitty, thank you very much -- Kitty Pilgrim.