The U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Ryan Zinke’s Allied Defense Sales Act, legislation designed to strengthen American manufacturing by making it easier for allied nations to jointly purchase U.S.-made defense equipment while deepening strategic partnerships abroad.
The bill represented a continuation of Zinke’s work as Chairman of the Foreign Military Sales Task Force, where he worked alongside the Department of War to modernize the military sales process through legislation and executive action.
“America builds the best defense equipment in the world, and our allies need it to safeguard their — and our — people and interests,” Zinke said. “This bill helps cut through the bureaucracy so our partners can work together to buy American-made systems faster and more efficiently. That means stronger and more secure alliances, and more manufacturing jobs here at home.”
The legislation was crafted with bipartisan support. Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) co-sponsored the measure, calling the bill critical to U.S. national security. “I’m pleased the House has passed our bipartisan legislation to help trusted allies and partners coordinate purchases of U.S. defense equipment, improve interoperability, and deliver critical capabilities more efficiently,” Bera said.
The Allied Defense Sales Act was modeled after successful multinational cooperation efforts and focused on helping groups of allied countries with similar defense needs coordinate joint purchases. By aligning demand across multiple partners, the legislation aimed to stabilize production schedules and accelerate delivery timelines for American manufacturers.
Under the existing system, smaller countries often faced steep barriers when attempting to purchase U.S. equipment due to the scale and complexity of the procurement process — creating delays and uncertainty for American defense manufacturers. The bill sought to address those challenges by creating a more flexible and coordinated multinational procurement framework, particularly for partners in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.
The legislation directed the Department of War to assess allied interest in joint purchases, identify potential lead coordinator countries, recommend ways to streamline approvals and licensing, and increase the exportability of defense articles and services. It also explored ways to expand financing tools and accelerate sales outside traditional programs, enabling American defense companies to respond more quickly to allied demand.