[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 2, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H3736-H3738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AUKUS REFORM FOR MILITARY OPTIMIZATION AND REVIEW ACT
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass
the bill (H.R. 4233) to modify provisions relating to defense trade and
cooperation among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4233
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 ``AUKUS Reform for Military
Optimization and Review Act'' or the ``ARMOR Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the President should work
with the governments of the United Kingdom and Australia to
formulate policy that would address matters of
extraterritoriality, which may present inefficiencies in
defense repair, maintenance, and sustainment among Australia,
the United Kingdom, and the United States for defense
articles and services not on the excluded technology list.
SEC. 3. MODIFICATION OF PROVISIONS RELATING TO DEFENSE TRADE
AND COOPERATION AMONG AUSTRALIA, THE UNITED
KINGDOM, AND THE UNITED STATES.
(a) Expansion of Expedited Review of Export Licenses.--
[[Page H3737]]
(1) In general.--Section 1344(c) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (22 U.S.C. 10423(c))
is amended--
(A) by striking ``classified and unclassified items, and
the process'' and inserting ``classified and unclassified
items, and apply to all exports and transfers (including
reexports, retransfers, temporary imports, and brokering
activities), wholly within or between the geographic
territory of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, or the
United States, and the process''; and
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Any licensing
application to export defense articles and services'' and
inserting ``Any licensing application to transfer, export,
reexport, retransfer, temporarily import, or broker defense
articles and services wholly within or between the geographic
territory of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, or the
United States''.
(2) Report.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 15
years, the President shall submit to the Chairpersons and
Ranking Members of the appropriate congressional committees,
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Majority
Leader of the Senate a report with respect to the use of the
expedited review process established by section 1344 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (22
U.S.C. 10423), that includes the following:
(i) An update on the progress made toward implementing such
expedited review process.
(ii) The number of licenses issued.
(iii) A list of each principal applicant issued a license.
(iv) A list of defense articles and services for which a
license was issued.
(B) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this
paragraph, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate.
(b) Clarification of Congressional Notification
Requirement.--Section 38(l)(2) of the Arms Export Control Act
(22 U.S.C. 2778(l)(2)) is amended by striking ``the United
States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.'' and inserting
``the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The
congressional notification requirements of subsections (c)
and (d) of section 36 shall not apply with respect to the
export or transfer of defense articles or defense services
subject to the exemption described in this paragraph.''
(c) Requirement To Review Excluded Technologies List.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in consultation
with the Secretary of Defense, shall review, annually for the
covered period, and every 3 years thereafter, Supplement No.
2 to part 126 of the International Traffic in Arms
Regulations (parts 120-130 of title 22, Code of Federal
Regulations)(commonly known at the ``Excluded Technologies
List'') to ensure inclusion of only those items required by
statute, or otherwise determined by such Secretaries, to
require continued licensing review for national security
reasons.
(2) Covered period defined.--In this subsection, the term
``covered period'' means the 5-year period beginning 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Baumgartner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro)
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 to 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 rise in support of this legislation to improve
implementation of the AUKUS partnership.
The AUKUS partnership is a groundbreaking defense partnership between
the United States, the U.K., and Australia, created with the intention
of keeping a free and open Indo-Pacific and strengthening defense trade
between the U.S. and our closest allies.
The AUKUS partnership presents a unique opportunity for the U.S. to
strengthen our relationships with our AUKUS partners, ensure
interoperability with our most important allies in any future conflict,
and promote innovation in defense technology.
While Congress codified the AUKUS partnership last year, AUKUS has
faced numerous challenges in its implementation due to bureaucratic red
tape. Since its implementation, we have worked closely with our foreign
partners and the Trump administration to discuss the challenges AUKUS
Pillar II has faced.
This legislation addresses these challenges and will ensure that the
AUKUS partnership is implemented according to the original intent of
the partner countries, allowing the U.S. defense industry and our
allies to take full advantage of the benefits of this agreement.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4233. The AUKUS Agreement
established by the Biden administration was a historic accomplishment,
and Congress has played an important and constructive role in laying
the legislative foundation for closer cooperation between the United
States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
With this latest legislative effort, Representatives Kim and Dean are
continuing and furthering that legacy and promoting a free and
prosperous Indo-Pacific.
AUKUS is an important way to bolster our alliance structure in East
Asia and the Pacific and do what we do best as a nation: work with our
allies toward a common cause, in this case, a free and open Indo-
Pacific.
The AUKUS agreement accomplishes these ends by providing Australia
with additional submarine training and technology in Pillar I, as well
as knitting together cooperative defense research and development
efforts between Australia, the United States, and the U.K. in Pillar
II.
This bill builds on important, bipartisan provisions agreed to in the
fiscal year '24 NDAA which set the foundation for AUKUS and provides
minor technical improvements, as well.
Principally, it clarifies and enshrines the ability for AUKUS
partners to reexport and retransfer defense material and technology
within the AUKUS construct and through established and secured
channels.
The bill also provides other technical fixes and clarifications to
the already strong bipartisan AUKUS foundational text which continues
to serve all three AUKUS countries.
As the Trump administration conducts its belated review of AUKUS,
many of us here in Congress on both sides of the aisle look forward to
seeing AUKUS continue forward. This bill is a helpful contribution to
its shared goals.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join in supporting this
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman
from California (Mrs. Kim), who is the sponsor of this fine piece of
legislation.
Mrs. KIM. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleague, Representative
Baumgartner, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 4233, the
AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review Act, or the ARMOR
Act.
The ARMOR Act strengthens defense collaboration and trade among
Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which make up the
AUKUS trilateral security partnership.
Since its inception in 2021, AUKUS has been key to our collective
defense strategy, promoting cooperation on cutting-edge technologies
like nuclear-powered submarines, artificial intelligence, and
hypersonic systems.
Unfortunately, outdated export controls and bureaucratic hurdles
currently hinder the efficient sharing of critical defense technologies
among our trusted partners.
{time} 1710
H.R. 4233 addresses these challenges by facilitating quicker, more
secure transfers of defense materials while preserving critical
protections for sensitive technologies.
Specifically, it expands the expedited licensing to include
retransfers, removes the congressional notification requirement on
certain AUKUS transfers, requires a report on implementation of
expedited review for export licenses, and requires an annual review of
the Excluded Technology List to ensure the list is relevant and aligned
with AUKUS goals.
The Indo-Pacific faces growing challenges, and the unholy alliance is
growing more brazen and aggressive. This
[[Page H3738]]
week, Xi Jinping is hosting Iran, North Korea, Russia, and other
hostile actors for a military parade. They are clearly sending a
message to the United States and our allies that they are more united
than ever.
Time is of the essence. We need to expedite the AUKUS partners'
access to markets and make sure this defense pact is working as
intended.
Bureaucratic delays to the AUKUS agreement undermine our ability to
counter threats and to maintain technological and defense superiority.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill to send a strong message to
our adversaries and friends alike that the United States is serious
about preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific with our allies.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Foreign Arms Sales Task Force co-chairs,
Representatives Zinke and Dean, for leading this bill with me.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).
Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R.
4233, the ARMOR Act, legislation that I was proud to work on with
Representative Kim and Representative Zinke.
AUKUS was a historic initiative launched under the Biden
administration. It is an example of the collective strengths of the
United States, Australia, and the U.K. It exemplifies our commitment to
working as allies, as partners, to positively contribute to defense
security around the world, including leveraging our shared capabilities
to shape a free and open Indo-Pacific and to counter the rising threat
that China poses.
I recently returned from a bipartisan, bicameral codel to Australia
and the Indo-Pacific, and all were eager to build on the AUKUS
framework.
This legislation will strengthen the AUKUS collaboration and joint
operability. It clarifies that re-exports and retransfers within the
geographic territory of the United States, the U.K., and Australia are
permitted under the previously exempted defense trade provisions.
Importantly, it also preserves Congress' oversight authority and
continues to ensure the protection of the most sensitive technologies
that underpin our security.
I am grateful to have worked with Representative Kim on this
bipartisan effort to support our allies and bolster our shared defense.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, as well.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time for the purpose of closing.
I applaud the sponsor and cosponsors of the bill for their work on
this legislation. We should be working more closely together with
allies who share our values. That is the central idea behind the AUKUS
agreement and the driving principle of this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support it, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. BAUMGARTNER. Mr. Speaker, the AUKUS partnership is foundational
to our global defense strategy. We must ensure it is implemented as it
was intended.
I am proud to support this legislation to improve existing AUKUS law,
and I urge my colleagues to join me.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Yakym). 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. 4233.
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.
____________________