Made-in-America Defense Act

The Made-in-America Defense Act would direct the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense to conduct annual reviews of the FMS-Only List, which contains defense articles and services that can only be transferred through the Foreign Military Sales program. The bill aims to identify which items on this list could also be eligible for Direct Commercial Sales, allowing faster delivery of defense equipment to U.S. allies and partners.

Currently, the Foreign Military Sales program involves the U.S. government selling defense items to foreign governments, which can take significant time due to Department of Defense contracting processes. Direct Commercial Sales allow U.S. companies to sell directly to foreign buyers, potentially speeding up transactions. The bill would evaluate each item's transfer timelines and other factors to determine which should be made available through both sales channels.

Under the bill, the State Department would report annually to Congress on its findings, including which items should be added to or removed from the FMS-Only List and the justifications for these changes. The reports would be submitted in unclassified format, though classified information could be included as an annex if necessary. The bill has passed the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for consideration.