Senate committee advances AUKUS amendment enabling sub transfer

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has advanced a legislative proposal that, if approved, would authorize the United States to transfer Virginia-class submarines to Australia and enable greater collaboration between the nations to implement the AUKUS security agreement.

According to a Thursday announcement from committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Senate Armed Services seapower subcommittee Chairman Tim Kaine (D-VA), this amendment was approved by the committee on a bipartisan basis, attaching it to the State Department authorization bill.

This authorization bill was referred to the Foreign Relations Committee after it was introduced by Menendez in June. The committee approved the AUKUS amendment during a closed session on Thursday.

According to the release, the amendment would authorize the transfer of two Virginia submarines and allow the sale of a third vessel through foreign military sales. It would also grant Australia and the United Kingdom priority status within the FMS process, providing advanced clearance for the transfer of AUKUS-related technologies between the three nations.

The proposal would authorize the export of “defense services” to develop Australia’s submarine industrial base, allow the U.S. to accept funds from the Australian government for an “AUKUS Submarine Security Account,” and refine other commercial export controls between the nations, the release states.

Finally, the amendment would establish an AUKUS senior adviser position within the State Department reporting directly to the secretary of state.

“Deepening security relations with the United Kingdom and Australia sends an important signal about the durability and strength of U.S. alliances,” Menendez said in a statement included in the release.

“This amendment in the State Authorization Act of 2023 provides Australia with a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability and streamlines the export of U.S. military technology, while ensuring that technology is safeguarded from adversarial espionage,” his statement continues.

Defense authorization bills in both the House and Senate also contain measures related to AUKUS, including proposals to establish a Pentagon-based position to oversee the initiative and provisions that would provide lawmakers with more information on various aspects of the effort.