A senior member of Congress has urged President Clinton to use his influence to see that the British Government fully implements the Patten Commission report on the reform of the RUC.
The recent policing Bill "greatly weakens the report's many good recommendations", according to Mr Ben Gilman, chairman of the House Committee on International Affairs.
"These modest policing reforms have regrettably become a bargaining chip by the British Government with the unionist community to encourage them back into local government."
Mr Gilman warns that failure to implement the report would mean that the FBI would be unable to continue training courses for the RUC.
He has written to President Clinton urging him "to certify to the Congress whether the British Government is fully committed to the implementation of all of the Patten policing reforms."
He has reminded the President that the State Department funding Bill he signed last year "specifically required that before any further FBI or other US law enforcement training will be provided to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) or its successor, a Presidential certificate was required on the British Government's commitment to assisting in the full implementation of the recommendations contained in the Patten Commission report of September 9, 1999."
Mr Gilman says: "While many would hope that a new, reformed and reconstituted Police Service for Northern Ireland might one day be eligible for FBI and other US law enforcement assistance, the direction in which the British Government is headed with policing reform may eventually preclude that opportunity."
He has urged President Clinton "to work closely with the British Government to ensure the full and complete implementation" of the Patten report.