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S. 2130 To make improvements to the AUKUS partnership, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill makes amendments to the Arms Export Control Act to streamline defense cooperation and technology sharing between the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom under the AUKUS security partnership. The bill eliminates the requirement for presidential consent for defense articles to be reexported or transferred between these three countries and authorizes transfers between government and company employees and agents in these countries. The bill also removes the requirement for certification on commercial technical assistance and manufacturing license agreements for defense-related activities involving Australia and the United Kingdom.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE] (R-NE)
11 cosponsors
- Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (D-CO)
- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (D-DE)
- Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] (R-TX)
- Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] (R-IA)
- Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE] (R-NE)
- Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA)
- Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] (D-CT)
- Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (D-MI)
- Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (D-NV)
- Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL] (R-FL)
- Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK)
Actions (5)
- Oct 30, 2025 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 235. · senate
- Oct 30, 2025 Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report. · senate
- Oct 22, 2025 Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. · senate
- Jun 18, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. · senate
- Jun 18, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 18, 2025
Mr. Ricketts (for himself, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Coons, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Sullivan, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Bennet, Ms. Rosen, and Mr. Peters) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
October 30, 2025
Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
A BILL
To make improvements to the AUKUS partnership, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. FLEXIBILITY WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN ARMS EXPORT CONTROL ACT AND OTHER ARMS TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS.
Section 38(l) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(l)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(8) Exemption from certain requirements.— “(A) In general.—Defense articles sold by the United States under this Act may be reexported, retransferred or temporarily imported exclusively between the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom, or entities eligible under section 126.7(b)(2) of title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations. Such transfers shall not require the consent of the President under section 3(a)(2) of this Act, or under section 505(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2314(a)(1)(B)). “(B) Intra-company, intra-organizational, and intra-governmental transfers.—Intra-company, intra-organization, and intra-governmental transfers related to defense articles and defense services described under subparagraph (A) are authorized between officers, employees, and agents who satisfy section 120.64 of title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations, including dual or third country nationals who satisfy section 126.18 of title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations.”.
SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR COMMERCIAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR MANUFACTURING LICENSE AGREEMENTS INVOLVING AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Section 36(d)(2) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(d)(2)) is amended— (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively; (2) by striking “A certification” and inserting
“(A) A certification”; (3) in clause (i), as redesignated by paragraph
(1), by striking “North Atlantic Treaty Organization or Australia, Japan” and inserting “North Atlantic Treaty Organization (excluding the United Kingdom) or Japan”; and (4) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: “(B) A certification under this subsection shall not be required in the case of an agreement for or in Australia or the United Kingdom.”.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “AUKUS Improvement Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. FLEXIBILITY WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN ARMS EXPORT CONTROL ACT AND OTHER ARMS TRANSFER REQUIREMENTS.
Section 38(l) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(l)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(8) Exemption from certain requirements.—
“(A) In general.—Defense articles sold by the United States under this Act, whether pursuant to the exemption authorized under this section or identical to defense articles eligible for export under that exemption, may be reexported, retransferred or temporarily imported exclusively between the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom, or entities eligible under section 126.7(b)(2) of title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations, notwithstanding the requirement for the consent of the President under section 3(a)(2) of this Act, or under section 505(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2314(a)(1)(B).
“(B) Intra-company, intra-organizational, and intra-governmental transfers.—Intra-company, intra- organization, and intra-governmental transfers related to defense articles and defense services described under subparagraph (A) are authorized between officers, employees, and agents who satisfy section 120.64 of title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations, including dual or third country nationals who satisfy section 126.18 of title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or successor regulations.”.
SEC. 3. ELIMINATION OF CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR COMMERCIAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR MANUFACTURING LICENSE AGREEMENTS INVOLVING AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM.
Manufacturing Licensing Agreements and Technical Licensing Agreements for Australia and the United Kingdom that do not involve defense articles that are not subject to the licensing exemption under section 38(l) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(l)) are not subject to the requirements for congressional notification pursuant to section 36(d) of that Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(d)). Calendar No. 235
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2130
A BILL
To make improvements to the AUKUS partnership, and for other purposes.
October 30, 2025
Reported with an amendment
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