ARMOR Act

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Unfortunately, outdated export controls and bureaucratic hurdles currently hinder the efficient sharing of critical defense technologies among our trusted partners.

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

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. 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.

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.

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. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim), who is the sponsor of this fine piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Dean).

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. 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.