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Washington, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the AUKUS optimal pathway to equip the Australians with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. Last year, Chairman McCaul joined Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) to lead the AUKUS Submarine Transfer Act, which authorized the sale of these submarines to the Australians, all while adhering to the highest non-proliferation standards.

“The sale and transfer of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines will strengthen our nations’ already deep defense cooperation with Australia and provide the U.S. with a critical forward base to help secure a free and open Indo-Pacific. The Australians are providing billions of dollars towards the U.S. submarine industrial base and making investments nationally to host these submarines. To meet Australia’s efforts and for Pillar I to succeed, we must restore the purchase of a second Virginia-class submarine in the fiscal year 2025 budget and ease defense trade regulations hampering innovation with Australia and the U.K.”

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