{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-celebrates-unlock-aukus-bills-passing-committee/", "Ricketts Celebrates UNLOCK AUKUS, Bills Passing Committee", "2026-06-18", "2026", "2026-06", "Republican", "Senate", "NE", "Pete Ricketts", "R000618", "www.ricketts.senate.gov", "ricketts", "https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/?jsf=jet-engine:press-list&pagenum=", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) celebrated passage of the UNLOCK AUKUS Act and other bills in the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The UNLOCK AUKUS Act was previously introduced by Senators Ricketts and Tim Kaine (D-VA) to strengthen the trilateral security partnership between Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. (AUKUS). This legislation accelerates collaboration, innovation, and fielding of the advanced military capabilities needed to maintain the United States and our AUKUS partners\u2019 collective technological edge.\n\n\u201cThe United States faces the most challenging threat environment since WWII,\u201d said Ricketts. \u201cIn the Senate, I\u2019m fighting to strengthen our national security and deterrence of Communist China. By strengthening our international partnerships and eliminating red tape, Nebraskans will be safer.\u201d\n\nRicketts-led bills passed by Foreign Relations Committee include:\n\nUNLOCK AUKUS Act (Unlocking Next-Generation Licensing and Opportunities for Collaborative Know-how for AUKUS Act)\n\nIntroduced by Sens. Ricketts and Tim Kaine (D-VA) is the Democrat Co-Lead.\n\nThe UNLOCK AUKUS Act would enhance collaboration between AUKUS partners on advanced systems such as guided missiles, collaborative combat aircraft, hypersonics, and other AUKUS projects.\n\nEnergy Security Pacts Act\n\nIntroduced by Sens. Ricketts and Chris Coons (D-DE)\n\nThe Energy Security Pacts Act would allow for the designation of a Director of Energy Security Pacts within the State Department to coordinate 10-year, bilateral Energy Security Pacts with partner countries to strengthen critical mineral supply chains.\n\nU.S. Tech PATH Act (U.S. Technology Procurement and Access to Trusted Hardware Act)\n\nIntroduced by Sens. Ricketts and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)\n\nThe U.S. Tech PATH Act would create a U.S. Technology Procurement Program in the State Department to streamline partner countries\u2019 procurement of American cyber and digital technology.\n\nExpanded Consular Fellow Act\n\nIntroduced by Sens. Ricketts and Jacky Rosen (D-NV)\n\nThe Expanded Consular Fellow Act would authorize the State Department to hire Consular Fellows in limited non-career appointments for eight years \u2013 an increase from the current maximum of five years.", 1, "2026-07-01T06:34:07Z", "2026-07-01T06:35:35Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ricketts-celebrates-unlock-aukus-bills-passing-committee/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.635545864701271, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}