UNLOCK AUKUS Act

Bill Number

S. 4709

Origin Chamber

Senate

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-06-17: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Last Updated

2026-07-01T16:32:14Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

• The bill seeks to amend the Arms Export Control Act to adjust a limitation on exports and transfers of defense articles and services connected to the AUKUS partnership.
• It is titled the "Unlocking Next-Generation Licensing and Opportunities for Collaborative Know-how for AUKUS Act" or the "UNLOCK AUKUS Act."

Key Provisions Outlined

• The legislation consists of two sections: a short title and a single amendment.
• It directs changes to Section 38(l)(4)(B) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(l)(4)(B)).
• The amendment adds the phrase ", excluding subclauses (I), (II), and (III)" immediately after the existing reference to "subsection (j)(1)(C)(ii)."

Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced

• The bill modifies an existing limitation in the Arms Export Control Act by carving out specific subclauses from a referenced provision.
• This alters the scope of the limitation without repealing or replacing the broader section.

Potential Impacts

• The change may affect how U.S. government agencies manage reviews and approvals for defense exports and transfers under the AUKUS framework.
• It could influence processes involving international partners in defense cooperation.
• No direct effects on individual citizens are specified in the bill.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• U.S. executive branch agencies responsible for implementing the Arms Export Control Act.
• The governments of Australia and the United Kingdom as AUKUS partners.
• Entities engaged in the export or transfer of defense articles and services related to the partnership.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The bill represents a targeted legislative adjustment to arms export regulations.
• It operates within the existing framework of the Arms Export Control Act and does not introduce new constitutional considerations in the text.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]

Cosponsors (5)

Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA], Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID], Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

Recent Actions

• 2026-06-17: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
• 2026-06-08: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
• 2026-06-08: Introduced in Senate

Bill Versions

• Unlocking Next-Generation Licensing and Opportunities for Collaborative Know-how for AUKUS Act — issued 2026-06-08 — PDF (2 pages)