Allied Defense Sales Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. KIM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 8665, the Allied Defense Sales Act.

As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Foreign Military Sales Task Force, I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan bill introduced by our task force chair, Representative Zinke.

H.R. 8665 is a practical step forward to strengthen our defense industrial base while reinforcing partnerships with trusted partners.

America produces the most advanced and reliable defense systems in the world. Our partners across Europe, Asia, and beyond consistently prefer U.S. equipment for its quality, performance, and the security relationships that come with it. Yet, many smaller nations face significant obstacles when pursuing individual purchases. The administrative burden, minimum order sizes, and unpredictable timelines often discourage sales that would otherwise benefit both our allies and American industry.

H.R. 8665 addresses these challenges head-on. The bill directs the State Department to develop a clear strategy for enabling multinational procurement. A partner nation would agree to serve as the lead nation to enable a multinational procurement, ensuring other qualified allies are able to participate in important foreign military sales.

By combining demand, we can achieve more predictable production schedules, lower unit costs, faster deliveries, and greater overall efficiency for manufacturers here at home.

This model also improves interoperability among our partners, allowing them to work more seamlessly alongside U.S. forces and with one another.

This legislation requires the Department to assess allied interest, identify suitable lead coordinators, examine financing options for partners that may not qualify for standard programs, address regulatory hurdles under existing export laws, and highlight opportunities to make more U.S. capabilities available for export. The Department will need to regularly report to Congress on implementation and on its results.

In an era when competitors are aggressively marketing their systems abroad, we must make it easier for allies to choose American. This bill does that without compromising our rigorous oversight or security standards.

It supports good-paying jobs in defense manufacturing hubs nationwide, including in Orange and Riverside Counties in my district, which many aerospace and defense primes, SMEs, and startups call home. It enhances collective deterrence and advances U.S. foreign policy that prioritizes both economic strength and strategic advantage.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8665 is a commonsense step forward. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage.

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