Senior U.S. lawmakers want India PM Modi to address U.S. CongressWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee called on Tuesday for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress during a visit to Washington in June. “Given the depth of our relationship with India across a range of areas - defense, humanitarian and disaster relief, space cooperation, conservation and innovation - we believe this is an ideal opportunity for the Congress to hear directly from the prime minister,” Representatives Ed Royce, the Republican committee chairman, and Eliot Engel, the panel’s ranking Democrat, wrote to House Speaker Paul Ryan. The invitation would be a sharp turnaround for a leader who was once barred from the United States over massacres of Muslims. A spokeswoman for Ryan said she had no announcement at this time about whether Ryan would extend the invitation. Invitations to address the Senate and House are considered a great honor. There have been only two in the past year: Pope Francis, on Sept. 24, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on April 29, 2015. When Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies swept India’s elections in 2014, there initially were questions about whether he would qualify for a visa. President Barack Obama quickly dismissed the issue by inviting him to the White House when he called to congratulate him on his victory. In 2002, when Modi had just become Gujarat’s chief minister, more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in the state. The administration of President George W. Bush denied Modi a visa in 2005 under a 1998 U.S. law barring entry to foreigners who have committed “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Modi denied any wrongdoing. India’s Supreme Court ruled in 2010 he had no case to answer. Washington sees its relationship with India as critical, partly to counterbalance China’s rising power. Obama has called it “one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.” The letter to Ryan was also signed by Republican Representative George Holding and Democrat Ami Bera, the co-chairmen of the Congress Caucus on India and Indian Americans. politicsNews
senior lawmakers want india pm modi address congresswashington reuters the leaders house representatives foreign affairs committee called tuesday indian prime minister narendra modi address joint meeting congress visit washington june given depth relationship india across range areas defense humanitarian disaster relief space cooperation conservation innovation believe ideal opportunity congress hear directly prime minister representatives ed royce republican committee chairman elliot ngel panel ranking democrat wrote house speaker paul ryan the invitation would sharp turnaround leader barred united states massacres muslims a spokeswoman ryan said announcement time whether ryan would extend invitation invitations address senate house considered great honor there two past year pope francis japanese prime minister shine abe april when modi bharatiya canada party allies swept india elections initially questions whether would qualify visa president barack obama quickly dismissed issue inviting white house called congratulate victory in modi become gujarat chief minister people mostly muslims killed sectarian riots state the administration president george bush denied modi visa law barring entry foreigners committed particularly severe violations religious modi denied wrongdoing india supreme court ruled case answer washington sees relationship india critical partly counterbalance china rising power obama called one defining partnerships the letter ryan also signed republican representative george holding democrat ami era congress caucus india indian americans politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Senior U.S. lawmakers want India PM Modi to address U.S. CongressWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee called on Tuesday for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address a joint meeting of Congress during a visit to Washington in June. “Given the depth of our relationship with India across a range of areas - defense, humanitarian and disaster relief, space cooperation, conservation and innovation - we believe this is an ideal opportunity for the Congress to hear directly from the prime minister,” Representatives Ed Royce, the Republican committee chairman, and Eliot Engel, the panel’s ranking Democrat, wrote to House Speaker Paul Ryan. The invitation would be a sharp turnaround for a leader who was once barred from the United States over massacres of Muslims. A spokeswoman for Ryan said she had no announcement at this time about whether Ryan would extend the invitation. Invitations to address the Senate and House are considered a great honor. There have been only two in the past year: Pope Francis, on Sept. 24, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on April 29, 2015. When Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies swept India’s elections in 2014, there initially were questions about whether he would qualify for a visa. President Barack Obama quickly dismissed the issue by inviting him to the White House when he called to congratulate him on his victory. In 2002, when Modi had just become Gujarat’s chief minister, more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in sectarian riots in the state. The administration of President George W. Bush denied Modi a visa in 2005 under a 1998 U.S. law barring entry to foreigners who have committed “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Modi denied any wrongdoing. India’s Supreme Court ruled in 2010 he had no case to answer. Washington sees its relationship with India as critical, partly to counterbalance China’s rising power. Obama has called it “one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.” The letter to Ryan was also signed by Republican Representative George Holding and Democrat Ami Bera, the co-chairmen of the Congress Caucus on India and Indian Americans. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: senior lawmakers want india pm modi address congresswashington reuters the leaders house representatives foreign affairs committee called tuesday indian prime minister narendra modi address joint meeting congress visit washington june given depth relationship india across range areas defense humanitarian disaster relief space cooperation conservation innovation believe ideal opportunity congress hear directly prime minister representatives ed royce republican committee chairman elliot ngel panel ranking democrat wrote house speaker paul ryan the invitation would sharp turnaround leader barred united states massacres muslims a spokeswoman ryan said announcement time whether ryan would extend invitation invitations address senate house considered great honor there two past year pope francis japanese prime minister shine abe april when modi bharatiya canada party allies swept india elections initially questions whether would qualify visa president barack obama quickly dismissed issue inviting white house called congratulate victory in modi become gujarat chief minister people mostly muslims killed sectarian riots state the administration president george bush denied modi visa law barring entry foreigners committed particularly severe violations religious modi denied wrongdoing india supreme court ruled case answer washington sees relationship india critical partly counterbalance china rising power obama called one defining partnerships the letter ryan also signed republican representative george holding democrat ami era congress caucus india indian americans politicsnews