The White House on Tuesday said the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, which awaits a nod from the US Senate, is on administration's "very high priority" and it wants to see this agreement getting accomplished.
Asked whether President George W Bush has spoken to Senators, who are expected to take up the landmark accord for a vote on Thursday, Deputy Spokesman Tony Fratto said top administration officials have been in touch with key lawmakers.
"Secretary Rice and others have been in contact with the Senate and his office... it's a very, very high priority for us. We want to see it get accomplished. And Senator Reid does, as well," the deputy Spokesman Tony Fratto said here.
"We have been in very close contact with Majority Leader (Harry) Reid, who has committed to getting that agreement passed in the Senate. I don't know if the president and Majority Leader Reid have specifically spoke about it recently, but I know our staff has," he said.
Senate Majority leader Harry Reid earlier in the day expressed confidence that the Chamber would take up and vote on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal tomorrow, three days after the House of Representatives approved the accord.
"We're still working on agreement to consider the US-India nuclear agreement. I'm quite sure we can finalise that so there can be a vote on that tomorrow," Reid said on the Floor of the Senate before the start of the day's proceedings.
Unlike the House of Representatives which needed a two-thirds majority, the Senate requires only a simple majority to approve the legislation.
