{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tillis.senate.gov/2026/7/tillis-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-in-support-of-ukrainian-defense", "Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation in Support of Ukrainian Defense", "2026-07-30", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "NC", "Thom Tillis", "T000476", "www.tillis.senate.gov", "tillis", "https://www.tillis.senate.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Alan Armstrong (R-OK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the bipartisan Fast Tracking European Investment in Ukraine\u2019s Defense Act to boost Ukraine\u2019s defense by allowing for the more consistent and timely provision of high-volume, low-tech munitions critical to the country\u2019s fight against Russian aggression. The legislation would foster greater investment by NATO allies in Ukraine\u2019s defense as well as build out the capacity of the U.S. defense industrial base.\n\n\u201cAs Russia continues it\u2019s illegal attack on Ukraine, it\u2019s imperative we work alongside NATO to do everything we can to provide Ukraine with the valuable resources they need,\u201d said Senator Tillis. \u201cI am proud to join my colleagues in this bipartisan legislation that will help us better support Ukraine in its fight against Putin\u2019s authoritarian aggression by ensuring a consistent supply of critical low-tech munitions.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been to Ukraine twice\u2014most recently in June\u2014and saw firsthand how critical U.S. investments have been for Ukrainians\u2019 defense,\u201d said Senator Kaine. \u201cWe\u2019re currently at a pivotal point in the war\u2014we must keep up the pressure on Russia and show that the democracies of the world continue to stand united against authoritarian regimes. I\u2019m glad to be working with this bipartisan group of senators to boost U.S. and allied support and help ensure our European partners can invest in the swift high-volume production and transfer of urgently-needed low-tech munitions to Ukraine. I\u2019m going to keep urging my colleagues to join us in this important effort.\u201d\n\n\u201cThird-party transfers of high-volume munitions have helped Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression while also ensuring our European allies share the cost burden, and it\u2019s unfortunate that this valuable tool is often caught in a cumbersome arms export approval process,\u201d said Senator Cornyn. \u201cOur commonsense legislation would cut red tape to expedite the process for our allies to purchase and transfer certain munitions to Ukraine so they can continue their fight against Putin\u2019s unprovoked invasion, and I\u2019m proud to join Senator Kaine to introduce it.\u201d\n\n\u201cUkraine stands on the front lines of freedom, protecting the world from Putin\u2019s aggression,\u201d said Senator Coons. \u201cOur European allies have stepped forward, taking on more of the financial burden of investing in Ukraine\u2019s defense. We should pass this bill to support our allies\u2019 efforts, strengthen our own industrial base, and ensure Ukraine has the weapons it needs to win on the battlefield.\u201d\n\n\u201dUkraine's ability to defend itself is essential to the security and stability of Europe and the broader transatlantic alliance. The Fast Tracking European Investment in Ukraine's Defense Act strengthens our allies, encourages greater European burden-sharing, and helps ensure Ukraine has the resources it needs to deter Russian aggression while advancing our shared security interests,\u201d said Senator Armstrong.\n\n\u201cUkraine urgently needs artillery and rockets, but bureaucratic delays are hindering the delivery of critical munitions. Each day we wait strengthens Putin\u2019s position. This bipartisan bill creates a faster, clearer pathway to get Ukraine the weapons it needs to protect itself,\u201d said Senator Kelly.\n\n\u201cWhen Putin loses America is safer. Vladimir Putin has waged his brutal war against Ukraine. However, Ukraine continues to courageously hold the line and take the fight to Russia. Getting weapons to Ukraine faster is just commonsense. This bill does just that without any additional cost to taxpayers. Continuing our support of Ukraine will keep Americans safe,\u201d said Senator Ricketts.\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nThird-party transfers of high-volume artillery and rocket munitions have been essential to keeping Ukraine supplied and ensuring European partners are sharing the burden. However, each transaction requires a lengthy arms export approval process by the U.S. government, and many of these transactions consist of the same low-tech munitions. This rigorous process is hindering Ukraine\u2019s ability to receive critical munitions and hurting battlefield effectiveness.\n\nThe Fast Tracking European Investment in Ukraine\u2019s Defense Act would address these challenges. Specifically, it would:\n\nAmend the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) to preauthorize the purchase and transfer of certain high-volume, low-tech munitions to Ukraine by NATO members and other countries until December 31, 2030 with the option of an extension through 2035. Munitions include:\n\n155mm Artillery Shells\n\n155mm Excalibur Extended Range Artillery Shells\n\nHigh Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Munitions\n\nGuided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Munitions\n\nRequire the Government of Ukraine to provide a written guarantee that it will not transfer any such articles without receiving consent from the U.S.\n\nMaintain all current end-use monitoring and congressional oversight legal requirements.\n\n###", 1, "2026-07-31T07:49:23Z", "2026-07-31T07:50:48Z"]], "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.tillis.senate.gov/2026/7/tillis-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-in-support-of-ukrainian-defense"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6842710319906473, "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"}