Sullivan, Courtney, Durbin & Gallagher Host Australian Prime Minister at the Capitol
WASHINGTON—The Friends of Australia Caucus, led by U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Representatives Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.), hosted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a breakfast meeting with Senate and House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committee leaders. This was an opportunity for top congressional leaders with jurisdiction over the alliance and the AUKUS (Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) trilateral security partnership to talk about common interests, including confronting threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party.
Following the meeting, the co-chairs hosted over 60 members of the House and Senate for a reception to hear directly from and meet with the Prime Minister.
“It is an honor to host the Prime Minister of Australia, one of America’s closest allies and a vital partner in the pursuit of a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific,” Sen. Sullivan said. “Our countries face the most dangerous period since World War II, led by a new axis of authoritarian aggressors—the dictators in Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing. To succeed in this challenging environment, America and Australia must take advantage of the extraordinary advantages we have relative to these dictatorships: our lethal militaries, our world-class resources, our dynamic economies, our global network of allies, our democratic values, and our commitment to liberty. If we stand firmly together in countering this axis, I am convinced we will succeed.”
“Prime Minister Albanese’s visit allows us to celebrate over 100 years of U.S.-Australia ‘mateship,’ bound by shared values and a commitment to democracy and international rule of law. As a Co-Chair of the Friends of Australia Caucus, I have been pleased to support the AUKUS partnership, which will develop cutting-edge capabilities mutually beneficial to the U.S., Australia, and the UK. With so many global challenges, it is reassuring to have friends like Australia to stand with us and I look forward to our diplomatic partnership for years to come,” Senator Durbin said.
“Prime Minister’s Albanese’s trip to Capitol Hill was critical in emphasizing the importance of the AUKUS enabling legislation that came out of the ‘Optimal Pathway’, which was announced by the three heads of government last March. As Prime Minister Albanese said in this morning’s meeting, there’s a true bipartisan commitment to AUKUS in Australia. The strong showing of Members from both parties across the House and Senate, as well as Committee leaders responsible for advancing AUKUS legislation, underscores that there is also a strong bipartisan commitment in the U.S. Congress to execute this vital security agreement. I look forward to continuing working with my colleagues to advance legislation through this year’s National Defense Authorization Act,” Rep. Joe Courtney said.
“The AUKUS alliance is a game-changer that will play a critical role in deterring CCP aggression and protecting the Free World’s interests in the Indo-Pacific. Today’s meeting demonstrated the bipartisan and bicameral support for building on the successes of this alliance by taking steps to enhance our submarine industrial base for our subsea goals and reform ITAR. We have no more trustworthy nor capable ally than our mates in Australia and must move with a sense of urgency to ensure the AUKUS framework has the tools and resources it needs to reach the next level,” Rep. Gallagher said.
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