Media Contact 202-226-8467

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) issued the following statement welcoming Australian Prime Minister Albanese to Washington, D.C.

“The U.S.-Australia alliance, both bilaterally and within AUKUS is critical to pushing back against the increasingly aggressive Chinese Communist Party. Recent events like the atrocities committed by Hamas, Russia’s illegal invasion and occupation of Ukraine, and China’s threats against Taiwan and in the South China Sea remind us why it is key to have reliable allies like the Australians, who have fought side by side with us for decades. I look forward to working with my Australian friends by authorizing the transfer of Virginia-class submarines to Australia and providing them a full nation defense trade exemption that is not hampered by over-regulation.”

###