Washington: With the Bush administration racing against time to get a Congressional nod for the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement, a group of lawmakers cutting across party lines have circulated a letter pressing for a quick passage of the deal.

The ‘Dear colleague´ letter, circulated to all the 435 members of the US Congress, has stressed that the expedient approval of the agreement will be beneficial to both the countries and it should be passed by the Congress before going for recession on 26 September.

“As past and present co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, we are asking you to support this agreement which provides for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two democracies,” five Republican and Democratic law makers have said in their letter addressed to their colleagues.

“Passage of this measure in an expedient manner will be beneficial to both the countries” they said.

Signatories to the letter among the Democrats were Gary Ackerman and Joseph Crowley from New York and Frank Pallone from New Jersey while the Republicans were represented by Congressmen Joe Wilson from South Carolina and California’s Edward Royce.

“This historic agreement for the two nations has won approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group. It would enhance US-India economic relations and assist the world’s largest democracy to successfully meet growing energy needs. Congress must act quickly to ensure passage on this agreement before recessing,” the lawmakers said.