U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Bill Huizenga (R-MI) introduced legislation on Monday that would remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to missile technology export controls.
The legislation, the Missile Technology Control Revision Act, would bolster national security while providing our allies with the ability to address shared security threats quickly, the law makers said. Created in 1987, the Missile Technology Control Regine (MTCR) is a non-binding political arrangement that curtails the export and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction delivery vehicles and their underlying technologies. Officials said the MTCR is no longer able to independently verify whether participants adhere to its guidelines and lacks any mechanism to penalize violators.
“The Chinese Communist Party is working at lightning speed to advance its military apparatus — and it does not play fair,” McCaul said. “The Mission Technology Control Revision Act empowers the United States and its allies to meet that generational challenge head-on by removing burdensome red tape that slows down the transfer of critical military technologies. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill that will strengthen crucial partnerships like the AUKUS defense pact and deter the CCP’s malign activity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.”
If passed, the legislation would amend the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 that allows for expedited defense trade with countries the president determines to be eligible. Additionally, the bill states that the U.S. will no longer apply a “presumption of denial” for MTCR items to NATO, major non-NATO allies and Five Eyes members.
“The threats our nation faces have evolved over time; therefore, our approach to keeping America safe must evolve as well,” Huizenga said. “We cannot allow bureaucratic red tape to hinder our national security. By modernizing the Missile Technology Control Regime to meet the security challenges of today, we can strengthen our defense capabilities and increase our cooperation with our allies, especially Australia and the United Kingdom. The Missile Technology Control Revision Act can act as a force multiplier that allows the United States and our closest allies to address the security challenges we face today and in the future.”