H.R. 3813 – Special Relationship Military Improvement Act of 2025

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Updated November 24, 2025 at 12:11 AM UTC

The Special Relationship Military Improvement Act of 2025 changes U.S. export law to let the United Kingdom receive defense items without the usual licensing agreement requirement, strengthening the U.S.–UK defense partnership. It also clarifies an exemption for defense cooperation with Australia, while explicitly keeping a range of high‑risk weapons and technologies out of that exemption.

Key Provisions

Amends the Arms Export Control Act to add the United Kingdom to the list of countries that can receive an exemption from the usual licensing requirements for defense exports, even if there is no specific bilateral agreement in place.
Creates a new exception for the United Kingdom, stating that the requirement to have a bilateral agreement does not apply to defense items exported to the UK.
Adds a similar exception for defense cooperation with Australia, but lists many categories of weapons and technologies (such as complete rocket and UAV systems, certain missile‑related items, specific toxicological/biological agents, nuclear‑weapon design items, and any items Australia cannot legally control) that remain excluded from the exemption.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

June 6, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 6, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

June 6, 2025

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued June 6, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 3813

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 6, 2025

Mr. Green of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL

To amend the Arms Export Control Act to provide to the United Kingdom an exemption for licensing of defense items for export in the absence of a relevant bilateral agreement.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Special Relationship Military Improvement Act of 2025.

2.

Exemption

Section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (f)(3), by inserting or the United Kingdom after Canada; and

(2)

in subsection (j)(1), by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraphs:

(C)

Exception for the United Kingdom

The requirement to conclude a bilateral agreement in accordance with subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to an exemption for the United Kingdom from the licensing requirements of this chapter for the export of defense items.

(D)

Exception for defense cooperation treaties

The requirement to conclude a bilateral agreement in accordance with subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to an exemption from the licensing requirements of this chapter for the export of defense items to give effect to the Treaty Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Australia Concerning Defense Trade Cooperation, done at Sydney September 5, 2007 (and any implementing arrangement thereto), except that the United States shall exempt from the scope of such treaty—

(i)

complete rocket systems (including ballistic missile systems, space launch vehicles, and sounding rockets) or complete unmanned aerial vehicle systems (including cruise missile systems, target drones, and reconnaissance drones) capable of delivering at least a 500 kilogram payload to a range of 300 kilometers, and associated production facilities, software, or technology for these systems, as defined in the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex Category I, Item 1;

(ii)

individual rocket stages, re-entry vehicles and equipment, solid or liquid propellant motors or engines, guidance sets, thrust vector control systems, and associated production facilities, software, and technology, as defined in the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex Category I, Item 2;

(iii)

defense articles and defense services listed in the Missile Technology Control Regime Annex Category II that are for use in rocket systems, as that term is used in such Annex, including associated production facilities, software, or technology;

(iv)

toxicological agents, biological agents, and associated equipment, as listed in the United States Munitions List (part 121.1 of chapter I of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations), Category XIV, subcategories (a), (b), (f)(1), (i), (j) as it pertains to (f)(1), (l) as it pertains to (f)(1), and (m) as it pertains to all of the subcategories cited in this paragraph;

(v)

defense articles and defense services specific to the design and testing of nuclear weapons which are controlled under United States Munitions List Category XVI(a) and (b), along with associated defense articles in Category XVI(d) and technology in Category XVI(e); and

(vi)

defense articles for which Australian laws, regulations, or other commitments would prevent Australia from enforcing the control measures specified in such treaty.

.