Bill Summary
The "Accelerate Revenue for Manufacturing and Sales Act" (ARMS Act) seeks to amend the Arms Export Control Act by enhancing the Special Defense Acquisition Fund (SDAF). The legislation recognizes the critical role of the U.S. defense industrial base in national security and economic prosperity, particularly as global demand for U.S. defense products continues to rise. It identifies a growing gap between foreign military sales and domestic procurement, which can lead to vulnerabilities in defense delivery and strategic credibility with allies.
The ARMS Act aims to strengthen the SDAF, which has shown effectiveness in expediting the delivery of defense articles and enabling advanced contracting before formal agreements are finalized. By expanding its authorities and capacity, the bill intends to improve the efficiency and predictability of defense exports to foreign partners, ultimately enhancing interoperability, coalition readiness, and deterrence against shared threats. This aligns with U.S. national interests and bolsters its leadership in the global defense market.
Possible Impacts
The "Accelerate Revenue for Manufacturing and Sales Act" (ARMS Act) could affect people in several ways:
1. **Economic Opportunities for Defense Manufacturers**: By modifying the authorities related to the Special Defense Acquisition Fund (SDAF), the Act could lead to increased funding and support for defense manufacturers. This would potentially create more jobs and economic opportunities within the defense industrial base. Employees in manufacturing, engineering, and related fields may see job growth and increased job security as demand for defense products rises.
2. **Enhanced National Security for Allies**: The Act aims to expedite the delivery of defense articles to allied and partner nations. This could impact military personnel and citizens in those allied countries by providing quicker access to advanced defense capabilities. Improved interoperability and coalition readiness may enhance the security and stability of these nations, ultimately benefiting their populations by deterring threats and ensuring a stronger defense posture.
3. **Impact on Taxpayer Funding and Government Budget**: The expansion of the SDAF could lead to changes in how defense spending is allocated, influencing taxpayer funding. If the Act results in increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness in defense procurement, taxpayers might benefit from more prudent use of government funds. However, if it leads to increased spending without corresponding fiscal controls, it could raise concerns about government budget management and the prioritization of defense over other public services.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4481 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4481
To amend the Arms Export Control Act to modify the authorities relating
to the Special Defense Acquisition Fund.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 17, 2025
Mr. Aderholt (for himself, Mr. Moskowitz, Mr. Panetta, and Mr. Zinke)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Arms Export Control Act to modify the authorities relating
to the Special Defense Acquisition Fund.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Accelerate Revenue for Manufacturing
and Sales Act'' or the ``ARMS Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The United States defense industrial base plays a
critical role in advancing both security and prosperity.
(2) There is increasing global demand for United States
manufactured defense capabilities, highlighting the need to
maintain a strong, agile, and scalable defense production
capacity.
(3) In recent years, the combined value of Foreign Military
Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) has significantly
exceeded domestic defense procurement budgets, with
international demand for United States defense products
approaching two-to-one over domestic acquisition.
(4) Delays in delivering defense articles to allied and
partner nations expose vulnerabilities in the current
acquisition and sales process that risks undermining United
States strategic credibility abroad.
(5) The Special Defense Acquisition Fund (SDAF) has
demonstrated effectiveness in reducing delivery times and
enabling advanced contracting for high-demand defense items
prior to the completion of formal agreements.
(6) Strengthening and expanding the SDAF would increase the
efficiency and predictability of defense article deliveries to
foreign partners, support the United States defense industrial
base, and improve economies of scale.
(7) Timely access to United States defense systems by
allies and partners strengthens interoperability, improves
coalition readiness, deters shared threats, and reinforces
long-standing strategic relationships.
(8) Enhancing SDAF authorities and capacity aligns with
United States national interests and supports continued
leadership in the global defense market.
SEC. 3. MODIFICATIONS TO SPECIAL DEFENSE ACQUISITION FUND.
Section 51(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C.
2795(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``sales made under'' and all that
follows through ``the actual value'' and inserting ``sales''.
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