Boise City Wire

BOISE, Idaho – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the Biden Administration’s decision not to certify the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia for ITAR exemptions under AUKUS. Risch expressed his disappointment, stating, “The Biden Administration’s determination that the UK and Australia do not have a system of export controls comparable to those of the United States is deeply misguided and further delays the implementation of AUKUS."

Risch pointed out that efforts to push for changes in the regulatory systems of close allies like the UK and Australia could hinder the core objective of AUKUS, which is to deter China. He emphasized this in his statement, saying, “As I wrote in my Defense News op-ed in July of 2023, efforts to compel changes in the regulatory systems of our closest allies constitutes extraterritorial overreach and delays our ability to deter China – the core objective of AUKUS."

The Senator also highlighted the lack of progress in turning AUKUS from an announcement into a concrete trade pact. He urged the administration to take action, stating, “The Biden Administration has received considerable credit for announcing AUKUS, but despite three years of press releases and speeches, the trade pact is still little more than an idea. It is time to deliver on the promise of AUKUS. Continued failure to do so would demonstrate the administration is fundamentally unserious about competing with China."

In July 2023, Senator Risch had penned an op-ed in Defense News advocating for the United States to relax defense regulations for allies to ensure the success of AUKUS.