Implementation of the Advanced Capabilities Pillar of the Trilateral Security Partnership Between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and his staff for working collectively on this bipartisan bill at this very important time. Clearly, making sure that we are working collectively together with one voice on this serious issue is of utmost importance to all of us in the United States of America.

The Biden administration, in coordination with Australia and the U.K., recently formalized the trilateral security partnership known as AUKUS, which aims to strengthen shared defense priorities in the Indo- Pacific. This new security framework represents an important step forward to the United States and the Indo-Pacific, and for strengthening our shared capabilities in the strategic competition defining our world today and for years to come.

Within this broader AUKUS agreement, Pillar 2 advances military capabilities with the intent of developing and enhancing joint capabilities between Australia, the U.K., and the United States to improve security and interoperability in the region. One aspect of this pillar is improving and synchronizing processes related to arms exports and sharing of sensitive defense technologies between participants. This includes encouraging and advising our partners on how to strengthen the regulatory frameworks to enable closer cooperation while maintaining appropriate safeguards.

H.R. 1093 requires the State Department to report to Congress on its efforts toward implementation of the advanced capabilities pillar of AUKUS, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations and improvements necessary in partner country regulations to enable secure and successful implementation.

As the United States looks to build on this important shared security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom within the AUKUS framework, I am proud, again, to co-lead this bipartisan initiative with Chairman McCaul to ensure we move forward in a meaningful way.

As we engage in strategic competition, sharing our defense technologies and capabilities in a safe, secure, and regulated manner with our partners is absolutely critical.

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Mr. MEEKS.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1093 is an important bipartisan measure which requires the State Department to report to Congress on its efforts toward implementation of the advanced capabilities pillar of AUKUS and improvements necessary in partner country regulations to enable secure and successful implementation.

As we look to build on and implement our shared security partnerships with Australia and the United Kingdom encapsulated within the AUKUS framework, I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan framework with Chairman McCaul.

In this strategic competition, the most important of our era, sharing our defense technologies and capabilities in a safe, secure, and regulated manner will only make us all stronger and more united.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in support of this very important bipartisan bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

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