AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review Act

AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review Act or the ARMOR Act

This bill expedites review processes for the export of certain defense articles and services to Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and Canada.

Specifically, the bill exempts from certain congressional notification requirements the export or transfer of defense articles or services subject to the defense trade partnership between Australia, the UK, and the United States (AUKUS). (Under current law, exports and transfers of defense articles and services to Australia and the UK are exempt from certain export controls pursuant to AUKUS. Separately, approvals of certain commercial agreements and the export of certain defense articles, services, and equipment are generally subject to congressional notification requirements and a waiting period.) Under the bill, exports and transfers that are exempt from export controls pursuant to AUKUS are also exempt from these congressional notification requirements.

Further, the bill requires the Department of State to periodically review the list of defense articles and services excluded from AUKUS to ensure it includes only items that (1) are required by statute to be included, or (2) require licensing review for national security reasons.

Finally, the bill explicitly states that the existing expedited review process for applications to export certain commercial, advanced-technology defense articles and services to Australia, the UK, and Canada is available to all exports and transfers, including reexports, retransfers, temporary imports, and brokering activity. Such exports and transfers must take place wholly within or between the territory of these countries or the United States.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov