AUKUS Oversight and Accountability Act

This bill establishes oversight and accountability measures for the State Department's implementation of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, announced on September 15, 2021. It creates a Senior Advisor and a Task Force within the State Department to coordinate and oversee AUKUS implementation, and modifies certain arms export control authorities.

Sec. 2, Establishment of Senior Advisor: The Secretary of State must appoint a Senior Advisor for AUKUS from senior Department leadership, who will oversee and coordinate AUKUS implementation and report directly to the Secretary. No additional funds are authorized for this position. The Senior Advisor's duties include coordinating AUKUS efforts across State Department bureaus, representing the Department in interagency processes, engaging with UK and Australian governing bodies, and issuing guidance to reduce barriers to defense collaboration. The Secretary must also establish a Task Force on AUKUS Governance, led by the Senior Advisor, with no additional funds authorized. The Task Force must meet at least every 60 days, coordinate an interagency working group on arms export regulations, create and maintain lists of defense-related transactions and vendors, coordinate a pathway for defense partners to obtain export license exemptions, create a framework for sharing information on entities compromising technology security, and establish an AUKUS industry forum. The Senior Advisor must submit quarterly reports to Congress detailing the work of the Senior Advisor and Task Force, issues raised by AUKUS partners, delays in defense transactions, and investigations or violations under the Arms Export Control Act. Annual reports must list transactions involving AUKUS partners, including program descriptions, entities involved, exports subject to certain requirements, and valuation of reduced licensing review times. The bill also amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act to allow use of defense trade control registration fees for facilitating defense trade policy and cooperation, including AUKUS implementation, and allows use of Foreign Military Sales administrative funds to support the Task Force. The Senior Advisor and Task Force terminate 7 years after enactment, with a possible 4-year renewal by the Secretary.

Sec. 3, Modifications to Arms Export Control Act and Other Authorities: The bill amends the Arms Export Control Act to allow the President, through the Secretary of State, to exempt exports and transfers of defense items from licensing requirements for one or more countries, but only after the Secretary certifies to Congress that the country has implemented export control standards comparable to those of the United States. Certain certification requirements for transfers are waived for such exempted transfers, but the Secretary must require reporting of any such transfer within 90 days. The Secretary must also carry out periodic reviews of items on the United States Munitions List at least every 3 years, focusing on interagency resources, technological changes, widespread availability of items, and risks of misuse. The Department may consult with the Defense Trade Advisory Group and other parties in these reviews.

Sec. 4, Definitions: Defines 'appropriate congressional committees' as the House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Appropriations, and the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, Armed Services, and Appropriations. Defines 'AUKUS agreement' as the trilateral security partnership announced on September 15, 2021.