PM to address Harris, Blinken-hosted lunch
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will deliver a key note address as his state visit draws to an end. Photo: AAP
Defence, space and disaster management will top the agenda as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s United States visit draws to a close.
Mr Albanese met the new speaker of the US House of Representatives on Thursday, saying he hoped Congress would pass legislation related to the AUKUS submarine project this year.
Albanese met Mike Johnson on Capitol Hill, a day after Johnson’s appointment following protracted wrangling among House Republicans.
“We of course have important legislation required for AUKUS,” Albanese told Johnson at the start of their meeting.
“We are certainly hoping that the Congress can pass that legislation this year.”
Anthony Albanese sat down with the new US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. Photo: AAP
Mr Albanese was to spend the last day of his Washington visit meeting with the Friends of Australia Congressional Caucus, Senate leadership and the leadership of key committees, as well as visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters.
He will also address a state lunch co-hosted by US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony J Blinken.
Originally established in 2003, the Friends of Australia Congressional Caucus is a bipartisan group of US Congress members who have played a significant role in promoting Australia-US relations, including through securing the passage of the Australia-US free trade agreement.
Now led by co-chairs Congressman Joe Courtney and Congressman Mike Gallagher, the caucus aims to further strengthen the Australia-US relationship through its economic ties and defence and strategic partnerships.
Members of the Caucus are seeking legislative reform to the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations to advance the objectives of the AUKUS partnership.
Mr Albanese met with Congressman Courtney on the sidelines of the AUKUS announcement in March and hosted Congressman Gallagher at a reception at the Lodge in Canberra in August.
Securing legislative support for the AUKUS pact has been at the top of Mr Albanese’s American to-do list.
Mr Albanese’s FEMA visit will include talks with FEMA Acting Administrator Eric Hooks highlighting Australia’s disaster co-operation with the US, including sending firefighters to assist during times of emergency.
The prime minister is expected to discuss Australia’s current high-risk weather season and lessons learned by the US following recent wildfires in Hawaii.
The prime minister will discuss lessons learned by the US following recent wildfires in Hawaii. Photo: AAP
Mr Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon will also attend a state lunch co-hosted by Vice President Harris and Mr Blinken where the prime minister will deliver the keynote address and witness the signing ceremony of the Technology Safeguards Agreement.
The treaty-level agreement to protect sensitive US space technology to be used in Australia for launch and/or return consolidates an in-principle agreement reached by Mr Albanese and President Joe Biden in May.
The deal will allow US rockets and satellites to be launched from Australia and support the domestic launch sector and spaceports to grow, creating Australian jobs and infrastructure.
Australia and the US have long co-operated on space matters, including through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States Geological Survey and Defence.
—AAP with reuters
