Authorizing Nuclear Defense Cooperation Between the U.S. and the UK (H.R. 5681)

What is H.R. 5681?

(Updated July 18, 2018)

This bill was enacted on December 16, 2014

This bill would renew the Mutual Defense Agreement between the U.S. and Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom, or UK) for another ten years.

H.R. 5681 authorizes the exchange of nuclear information, hardware and material between the U.S. and UK governments. It would also update existing policies regarding the training of nuclear personnel and personnel security.

It aims to improve cooperation on nuclear threat reduction efforts, and provides for joint evaluation of potential nuclear threats and enemy capabilities. It allows for the cooperative development of mutual nuclear defense plans.

H.R. 5681 promotes bilateral research, development, and design of nuclear technologies. It allows the U.S. and UK governments to adopt routine changes to legacy language in the original agreement.

Argument in favor

Great Britain and the U.S. are historic allies, both in peace and war. It makes perfect sense that we should continue to collaborate with them on defense matters well into the future.

Argument opposed

Sharing nuclear defense plans and threat assessments with any foreign nation is risky, even if they are our closest ally.

Impact

The U.S. military and defense organizations, the military and defense organizations of the United Kingdom.

Cost of H.R. 5681

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth:

The U.S. and Great Britain have a long history of cooperation, after the U.S. won its independence from Britain and retained its autonomy in the War of 1812. American and British soldiers have fought side-by-side in conflicts since 1859, most notably in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The U.S. - UK Mutual Defense Agreement of 1958 was the initial treaty that allowed for nuclear cooperation between the U.S. and Great Britain, which is updated every ten years. The U.S., the UK, and France are the only members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that are nuclear powers, so coordination between these partners is immensely important for the alliance.

This re-authorization of the Mutual Defense Agreement is particularly notable because of a recent stir in British politics that might have necessitated an alteration of plans. Scotland, a country that is a part of the United Kingdom, voted in 2014 on whether to become an independent nation. While the independence referendum failed, those supporting independence wanted the UK’s primary nuclear base to be relocated out of Scotland if the referendum had succeeded.

The Trident ballistic missile program bases nuclear-capable submarines at HMNB Clyde, which is located on the western coast of Scotland. There is still discontent in Scotland with the nuclear program being based there, and some have questioned whether the program should be continued.

Media:

Sponsoring Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) Press Release

U.S. - UK Mutual Defence Agreement - Wikipedia

Washington Post (Context)

(Photo Credit: "The Great Rapprochement". Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)