After months of delay, this week the House and Senate approved implementing legislation for the U.S.-United Kingdom and the U.S.-Australia Defense Trade Cooperation Treaties, followed by Senate ratification of the treaties themselves.

For over a year, the U.S. Chamber has urged that the treaties be approved, as in this July 21, 2009, letter from the Chamber’s Bruce Josten to Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry and Ranking Member Richard Lugar:

The treaties would reconfirm longstanding ties to two of America’s closest allies. They would facilitate more efficient collaboration in our defense and commercial ties through the export of U.S. products and two-way technology sharing in ways that would advance U.S. national security interests. The principal beneficiaries of ratification of these treaties would be the two million Americans employed by the defense and aerospace industries. These are highly skilled jobs that pay high wages, and they are found in all 50 states…

Approval of the pending treaties with the United Kingdom and Australia will help ensure that the defense and aerospace sector remains a vital contributor to our economic recovery efforts. The treaties would streamline licensing procedures for projects undertaken by the U.S. government in concert with two vital allies and their eligible contractors. The treaties also include numerous safeguards and strong enforcement provisions to ensure that greater efficiencies can be achieved without creating undue risk of technology diversion.

Good news all around, and better late than never.