Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Back Amendment That Removes AUKUS Arms Sales Notifications To Congress

Forbes Breaking News

During a House Foreign Relations Committee hearing in July, a bipartisan group of lawmakers supported a bill that would remove reporting requirements for weapons sales to AUKUS.

Transcript

00:00Pursuant to notice, I now call up H.R. 4233, the AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization

00:08and Review Act. The bill was circulated in advance. The clerk shall designate the bill.

00:12H.R. 4233, to modified provisions relating to defense, trade, and cooperation among Australia,

00:19the United Kingdom, and the United States. Without objection, the first reading of this

00:23bill is dispensed with and the bill is considered read and open to amendment at any point. I now

00:28rekt. This committee worked in a very bipartisan and bicameral manner to codify the AUKUS partnership.

00:35It was a groundbreaking defense partnership between the U.S., U.K., and Australia created

00:41with the intention of keeping a free and open Indo-Pacific and strengthening defense trade

00:46between the U.S. and some of our closest allies. The AUKUS partnership presents a unique opportunity

00:53for the U.S. to strengthen our relationship with our allies while promoting innovation

00:58in defense technology and strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base. While Congress

01:04codified the AUKUS partnership last year, AUKUS has faced numerous challenges in its implementation

01:10due to what we often see as bureaucratic red tape. Through the Foreign Arms Sales Task Force,

01:17members have heard from the AUKUS embassies as well as defense companies utilizing the expedited

01:22process created by the AUKUS legislation. In each of these engagements, the same concerns

01:28have been raised over and over again. East Asia-Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman Young Kim heard

01:34these concerns and worked with the Arms Sales Task Force Ranking Member Dean to formulate this

01:40bipartisan legislation that addresses some of these challenges. The ARMR Act will ensure that

01:45U.S. defense industry and our AUKUS partners are able to take full advantage of the benefits of this

01:51groundbreaking defense agreement. Is there any further discussion on the bill? Ranking Member Meeks.

01:59Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I support Representatives Kim and Dean's bill to further improve defense

02:05cooperation with our AUKUS partners, Australia and the UK, through an important trilateral agreement

02:11that was initiated by the Biden administration. From its inception, I have been a strong support of

02:17AUKUS as an important way to bolster our alliance to better meet challenges in East Asia and the

02:22Pacific and work together with our allies towards a common cause. In this case, a free and open

02:29Indo-Pacific and an ironclad security cooperation. AUKUS facilitates this by providing Australia with

02:37additional submarine training and technological and technology in pillar one, as well as knitting

02:44together cooperative defense research and development efforts between Australia, the United States and

02:49the United Kingdom in pillar two. This bill aims to build on important bipartisan provisions in the FY 24

02:57NDAA, which set the foundation for AUKUS and provides minor but necessary technical improvements.

03:04And principally, it clarifies and enshrines the ability for AUKUS partners to re-export and re-transfer

03:12defense material and technology within the AUKUS construct through established channels with

03:17necessary safeguards. It also provides technical fixes and clarification to the already strong bipartisan

03:25AUKUS foundational tax. As the Trump administration conducts its belated review of AUKUS, and many of us here in

03:32Congress on both sides of the aisle look forward to seeing AUKUS continue forward. This bill is a helpful

03:40contribution to its shared goals, and I thank the authors of it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

03:48Gentleman yields back. Gentleman yields back. Any further discussion? Representative Kim.

03:53Thank you Chairman Mass and Ranking Member Mix for holding today's markup and considering my bipartisan bill,

04:00H.R. 4233, the AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review Act, or ARMR Act.

04:08The ARMR Act enhances defense trade and cooperation between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United

04:15States, which collectively make up the AUKUS Trilateral Security Partnership. Since 2021,

04:23the AUKUS Security Partnership has been a cornerstone of our collective defense strategy, fostering

04:31collaboration on advanced technologies like nuclear-powered submarines, AI, and hypersonic capabilities.

04:39Unfortunately, current barriers, including outdated export controls and bureaucratic hurdles,

04:46slow the sharing of critical defense technologies among our trusted allies.

04:51H.R. 4233 removes these obstacles, enabling faster, more secure transfers of defense articles,

05:02while maintaining essential safeguards to protect sensitive technologies. Specifically,

05:10it expands the expedited licensing to include re-transfers, removes the congressional notification

05:17requirement on certain AUKUS transfers, requires a report on implementation of expedited review for

05:25export licenses, and requires an annual review of the excluded technology list to ensure the list is

05:33relevant and aligned with AUKUS goals. The Indo-Pacific faces growing challenges. China's aggressive

05:41posturing in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. North Korea's provocations, emboldened by its alliance with

05:48Russia, and other destabilizing actions demand a united front. Time is of essence. We need to expedite our

05:59three nations' access to markets and make sure AUKUS is working as intended.

06:04Bureaucratic delays to the AUKUS agreement weaken our ability to counter threats and to maintain

06:11technological and defense superiority. I urge my colleagues to support this bill,

06:17which will send a strong message to our adversaries and friends alike that the United States is serious

06:24about working with like-minded allies to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.

06:30I want to thank Arms Sales Task Force co-chairs, Representative Zinke and Dean, for joining me in

06:36this introduction of this bill. Thank you, and I yield the balance of my time. Representative Yields,

06:42is there any further discussion? Seeing none, being no further discussion, the committee will move for

06:48consideration of amendments. Does any member wish to offer an amendment? Chairman, may I ask for a recorded vote?

06:54In a moment, you may. Not quite yet. There being no amendments, I move that the committee report HR 4233 to the

07:03House with a favorable recommendation. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. All those opposed,

07:08signify by saying no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to, and I believe

07:14there is a request for a recorded vote. Thank you, Chairman. That recorded vote will be postponed until the end.

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