[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 2, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H3726-H3727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC IN ARMS REGULATIONS LICENSING REFORM ACT
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 4215) to require the Secretary of State to promulgate
expedited and fixed timelines for the decision-making process to
license the export of certain defense articles and defense services,
and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4215
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``International Traffic in
Arms Regulations Licensing Reform Act''.
SEC. 2. LIST OF COUNTRIES AND END-USERS TO RECEIVE PRIORITY
FOR DIRECT COMMERCIAL SALES.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
develop and maintain a list of countries and end-users with
respect to which expedited decision-making for applications
for licenses for the export of defense articles and defense
services is vital to the national security of the United
States, consistent with the requirements of the Arms Export
Control Act and other applicable provisions of law.
(b) Submission to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after
the development of the list required by subsection (a), and
annually thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate an updated copy of the list.
SEC. 3. DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR APPLICATIONS FOR DIRECT
COMMERCIAL SALES.
Not later than 30 days after the date on which the
Secretary of State publishes the list required by section 2,
the Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense,
shall initiate a rulemaking process to establish an expedited
timeline for the decision-making process with respect to
applications to export defense articles or defense services
under the Arms Export Control Act to countries or end-users
identified by such list and a fixed timeline for decisions
for all other applications for such exports. The timelines so
established shall provide that, to the maximum extent
practicable--
(1) an application to export defense articles or defense
services to a listed country or end-user shall be approved,
returned, or denied not later than 45 days after the date on
which the application is submitted to the Secretary;
(2) an application to export defense articles or defense
services to any country or end-user shall be approved,
returned, or denied not later than 60 days after the date on
which the application is submitted to the Secretary; and
(3) the deadlines described in paragraphs (1) and (2) may
be suspended with respect to an application if necessary--
(A) for applicable time periods specified in subsection
(b), (c), or (d) of section 36 of such Act, during which
Congress may enact a joint resolution prohibiting the
approval of such application; or
(B) for such time as may be required to receive a decision
from the Secretary of Defense with respect to an application
that is subject to approval by the Department of Defense,
including technology security and foreign disclosure release
determinations.
SEC. 4. REPORTS.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of State shall submit to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on a
semi-annual basis a report, which may be submitted in
classified form, that identifies each application to export
defense articles or defense services during the preceding
180-day period with respect to which the time to reach a
decision exceeded the applicable deadline described in
section 3(1) or 3(2).
(b) Matter To Be Included.--The report required by this
section shall also include the following information with
respect to each application so identified:
(1) The defense articles or defense services included in
the application.
(2) The recipient country, end-user, and any corporate
entities involved in the application.
(3) Whether the United States has previously exported
similar defense articles or defense services to the recipient
country or end-user.
(4) A justification for the delay in reaching a decision
with respect to the application.
(5) The anticipated timeline for reaching a decision with
respect to the application, if still pending as of the date
of the submission of the report.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Baumgartner) and the gentleman from New York (Mr.
Meeks) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.
general leave
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I introduced the International Traffic in Arms
Regulations Licensing Reform Act to improve licensing timelines and
processes for direct commercial defense sales.
America's foreign defense sales program is notorious for its slow
timelines and opaque process. This lack of clarity about how foreign
partners are prioritized causes frustration and confusion among our
most important partners and allies. This inefficiency and murkiness
force our partners to consider turning to other countries to source
their capabilities.
The U.S. is currently the partner of choice for foreign arms sales,
but that status is in jeopardy due to internal delays and unnecessary
bureaucratic red tape.
The direct commercial sales process presents a more efficient,
expedient pathway for our allies and partners to purchase U.S.
technology. Direct commercial sales are the future of American defense
sales. Direct commercial sales skyrocketed last year and are quickly
outpacing other forms of defense sales.
If our direct commercial sales program is going to continue to grow,
more must be done to streamline direct commercial sales and incentivize
even faster timelines.
This legislation would codify President Trump's April 9 executive
order to establish a list of priority partners for certain defense
sales and would create a timebound process for approving direct
commercial sales cases.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our defense industrial
base and support this commonsense bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1610
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4215. This bill would
institute clearer timeframes for the licensing decisions made by the
State Department for direct sales of defense items by private firms to
foreign buyers.
While large systems, such as aircraft, ships, tanks, and missiles,
are principally provided via the foreign military sales, or FMS,
process, a number of important items, such as small arms, vehicles,
radars, and other equipment, are transferred via direct commercial
sales.
These items are often vital for our partners and allies to replenish
their military stocks and defensive capabilities. While the vast
majority of these sales are processed and licensed in an expeditious
manner, foreign partners often seek greater speed and clarity regarding
the process.
This bill simply institutes reasonable timeframes of up to 60 days
for a licensing decision to be made. This does not preordain an
outcome. The State Department can still either return such licenses for
adjustment or modification due to additional revisions or controls
determined necessary or reject the requested license outright.
[[Page H3727]]
Crucially, the bill also does not alter or undermine congressional
oversight over direct commercial sales.
In short, while I have strong concerns about the arms sales and
security assistance policies of the Trump administration, I support
efforts to provide our allies and partners with improved timelines and
processing for defense articles that they need for our shared national
security goals.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for
the purposes of closing.
Mr. Speaker, the time period limitations on direct foreign commercial
sales set forth in this bill will, in fact, provide greater clarity for
our allies and a more rapid delivery of necessary items to our partners
around the world. Moreover, the bill does so without undermining
congressional oversight or predetermining any decisions.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, we must do everything we can to improve our foreign
defense sales process to ensure American competitiveness and equip our
allies with the highest quality defense materials.
I am proud to sponsor this legislation to streamline the direct
commercial sales process, and I urge my colleagues to join me in
support of it. This legislation makes America safer and our economy
wealthier.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Baumgartner) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4215.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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