Military Technology: Streamlining Exports to UK and Australia
The UNLOCK AUKUS Act has not moved since it was sent to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on June 29, 2026. This bill is now considered superseded, and lawmakers are focusing their efforts on a newer version instead. No further action is expected on this specific proposal.
Companion bill: Military Exports: Easing Rules for Australia and the United Kingdom →A companion or newer version of this bill is the one advancing instead.
The bill has strong bipartisan support and addresses a major national security goal, but it must still pass through committees and both chambers of Congress.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Companion
Identical companion bill S. 4709 (119th) was introduced in the other chamber.
S. 4709 (119th) →Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Faster sharing of technical data and defense equipment between the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia could help military units coordinate more quickly on joint projects like nuclear-powered submarines. The effect on individual service members is indirect and limited to those involved in AUKUS-related programs.
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Sens. Pete Ricketts and Tim Kaine introduced the UNLOCK AUKUS Act to widen the license-free defense trade environment for Australia, the UK, and the US. The bill would amend the Arms Export Control Act to remove a statutory obstacle that keeps many MTCR-controlled items on the excluded list.
The UNLOCK AUKUS Act (S. 4709) would expand the AUKUS partnership by enabling eligible Missile Technology Control Regime-related items to benefit from the license-free environment and establishing a secure pathway for the transfer of goods and technology within the trusted community.
The bill aims to remove a statutory obstacle that keeps many Missile Technology Control Regime-controlled items on the AUKUS excluded-technology list, potentially increasing defense-eligible goods and technology transfer from about 70% to closer to 95%.
No votes recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
UNLOCK AUKUS Act
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.