Clarksville Times

WASHINGTON— On June 6, on the 79th anniversary of D-Day, Rep. Mark Green introduced a bill reforming the Arms Export Control Act. The Special Relationship Military Improvement Act of 2023 will provide our steadfast ally, the United Kingdom, with an improved status under International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), recognizing the critical role of this alliance.

“For over a century, the United States and the United Kingdom have shared an unrivaled friendship. From the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of Afghanistan, American and British soldiers have stood shoulder to shoulder against shared adversaries. The importance of our alliance with Great Britain came home to me during my combat deployment to Iraq in 2003. As a flight surgeon for the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, I treated three wounded Special Air Service soldiers we were rescuing while under heavy enemy fire. The valor of these men is a testament to the perseverance and determination of the British people, and a sign of a bond between nations unlike any other.

Under the current rules of the ITAR, advances in military technology become exclusive property of the United States when sold to our government. Canada is granted exemptions under this regulation, but our closest ally, the United Kingdom, is not. That’s why the Special Relationship Military Improvement Act is so crucial. We must do everything we can to strengthen this bond, not diminish it. My amendment to the Arms Export Control Act accomplishes this.

Threats, like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), only continue to grow. The fact that the United States is limited in critical military technologies with the United Kingdom under the rules and red tape of ITAR is unacceptable. My amendment to the Arms Export Control Act is common sense—we must ensure our ally full access to critical military technologies.” 

Read the bill here.

Original source can be found here.