Courtney, Gallagher Issue Joint Statement on Historic AUKUS Partnership

WASHINGTON, DC – Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI), co-chairs of the Friends of Australia Caucus, today released the following statement regarding the historic security partnership between Australia, the U.K., and the U.S.

"Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. share a common history and a common destiny. Our alliances are grounded in our shared values and play an increasingly vital role in advancing global prosperity and peace. As co-chairs of the Friends of Australia Caucus, we welcome the announcement of the Australia-UK-US (AUKUS) trilateral security partnership as a critical venue for further cooperation. Under the AUKUS framework, we will become more capable and better allies through expanded defense collaboration in areas such as undersea warfare, long-range fires, artificial intelligence, and more.

"We look forward to working with our partners in the executive branch, as well as our allies in Canberra and London, to build on this momentum and ensure the success of this promising new trilateral mechanism."

The partnership will make it easier for the three countries to share information on critical technologies – including nuclear-powered submarines – and help the countries better counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific.

In addition to working alongside Rep. Gallagher as co-chair of the bipartisan Friends of Australia Caucus, Rep. Courtney also serves as the Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, which has jurisdiction over U.S. Navy shipbuilding.

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