Execution of Aukus Agreement

Floor Speech

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Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, in a few minutes, the House is going to vote on the National Defense Authorization Act, which I strongly support.

It is the product of bipartisan, bicameral compromise, which is exactly what the American people crave, and I congratulate Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for their outstanding work.

Among its many positive provisions, this bill in particular will execute the new AUKUS agreement between the U.S., U.K., and Australia. For the first time since 1958, the U.S. will share nuclear propulsion technology with another nation, our great ally, Australia. It also allows for the first time ever the sale to Australia of U.S.-built nuclear submarines--three, to be exact.

This effort will rebalance the strategic environment in the Indo- Pacific in favor of free, democratic nations that today are being constantly pressurized by the aggressive actions of the world's largest navy, namely, the Chinese PLAN.

To be clear, the intent of AUKUS is to guarantee deterrence, peace, and freedom of navigation that has prevailed across the globe for the last 78 years.

Mr. Speaker, this year's NDAA will be long remembered for this effort, and I strongly urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' for this bill.

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