HR 5013119th CongressIn Committee

AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025

Introduced: Aug 22, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1] (D-Rhode Island)

Defense & National Security

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025 would ease certain arms export controls and licensing requirements to bolster the AUKUS security partnership among the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Key changes include (1) a new exemption allowing defense articles to be reexported, retransferred, or temporarily imported directly among the three allies (or entities eligible under specific CFR rules) without needing Presidential consent or Foreign Assistance Act approvals, and (2) permission for intra-company, intra-organization, and intra-government transfers among authorized personnel under existing regulations. Additionally, the bill eliminates the certification requirement for commercial technical assistance or manufacturing license agreements involving Australia and the United Kingdom, and adjusts related reference language to reflect these changes. Overall, the act is designed to streamline defense trade within the AUKUS partnership to speed collaboration on defense capabilities.

Key Points

1New exemption to Arms Export Control Act (AECA) §38(l)(8): Defense articles may be reexported, retransferred, or temporarily imported between the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, or eligible entities without requiring Presidential consent or certain Foreign Assistance Act approvals.
2Intra-organizational transfers: Allows transfers within a company, organization, or government between officers, employees, and agents who meet the applicable CFR criteria (including certain dual or third-country nationals) for defense articles or services described in the new exemption.
3Elimination of certification for TA/license agreements with Australia/UK: Removes the certification requirement under AECA §36(d)(2) for commercial technical assistance or manufacturing license agreements involving Australia or the United Kingdom.
4Revised references for certifications: Amends language that previously covered NATO or Australia/Japan to read “NATO (excluding the United Kingdom) or Japan,” while also implementing the no-certification rule for Australia and the United Kingdom.
5Purpose and scope: The changes are narrowly tailored to facilitate faster, more integrated defense collaboration within the AUKUS partners while maintaining existing regulatory frameworks elsewhere.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- U.S., Australian, and U.K. defense ministries, military procurement offices, and defense contractors working under AUKUS; agencies administering export controls (e.g., the Department of State, the Department of Defense, and related regulatory bodies).Secondary group/area affected- End users and subcontractors in defense supply chains; security-clearance and compliance personnel handling AECA and 22 CFR regulations; personnel with dual or third-country national status who work on transfers.Additional impacts- Accelerated cooperation on defense technologies and programs within AUKUS (potentially including rapid deployment and integration of capabilities).- Reduced administrative friction for transfers among trusted allied partners, with continued reliance on CFR/Regulatory frameworks to prevent improper use.- Potential oversight and accountability considerations to ensure transfers remain within the intended bilateral/multilateral framework and do not undermine nonproliferation or export-control objectives.This summary reflects the text as introduced in H.R. 5013 in August 2025. If enacted, the bill would revise how certain defense articles and related technical assistance are controlled when exchanged among the U.S., Australia, and the U.K., while preserving the core guardrails of U.S. export-control law.

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