Senate Bill Seeks to Enhance AUKUS Defense Trade
Sens. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., introduced a bill June 18 aimed at removing obstacles to defense trade within the four-year-old Australia-U.K.-U.S. security partnership.
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The AUKUS Improvement Act would exempt State Department-vetted entities that have been approved as AUKUS authorized users from the requirement to obtain third-party transfer approvals under the foreign military sales process. The proposed change is intended to make it easier for AUKUS partners to transfer equipment to industry for further development, operation, maintenance and sustainment.
The bill also would exempt Australia and the U.K. from the need for congressional notification to manufacture significant military equipment overseas. Defense transfers that require congressional notification are excluded from the license-free environment and expedited processing provisions under AUKUS.
The legislation was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.