A Republican bill with 5 Republican cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
In the other chamber's committee
Passed one chamber and has been handed to a committee in the other.
The committee decides whether it goes any further, and most bills that reach a committee never leave it. A committee that simply does nothing kills a bill without anyone ever voting against it, so no news from here is usually the news.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House 395–20
- In Senate committee
What this bill would do
The "Made-in-America Defense Act" directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense to review the list of defense articles and services currently restricted to the foreign military sales program instead of direct commercial sales. This review is to be conducted within one year of enactment and annually thereafter. The goal is to identify items that could be transferred more quickly through direct commercial sales to strengthen national security. The review must consider transfer times, workload impacts, and national security benefits. Finally, the results must be reported to specific congressional committees in an unclassified form with a potential classified annex.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Does this strengthen ties with allied countries?
Faster delivery of defense articles is intended to strengthen relationships with allies and partners.
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill supports competitiveness for businesses involved in direct commercial defense sales.
- Scored +3
Is this likely to grow the economy?
The bill aims to boost US competitiveness by facilitating more direct commercial sales of defense articles.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
What Congress actually voted on
One recorded vote has been taken on this bill.
- The House: a fast-track vote, needing two-thirds to pass The House sets aside its normal procedure to move quickly: no amendments, little debate, and a two-thirds bar instead of a simple majority. It is used for measures expected to be uncontroversial, so a bill that fails here failed despite broad expectations that it would not. Passed 395 yes · 20 no
09/02/2025 · Roll call 219 · recorded as “On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended”
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Faster delivery of defense articles and services: The bill aims to address the issue where Department of Defense contracting processes add significant time to deliveries, allowing allies and partners to receive items more expeditiously (Section 2).
-
Increased national security and competitiveness: By identifying items that can be transferred via direct commercial sales, the review seeks to identify benefits to United States national security and United States competitiveness (Section 3, subsection a, 2, B).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Increased workload considerations: The review must evaluate the impact on the workload for the Department of State and Department of Defense when transferring articles or services through direct commercial sales (Section 3, subsection a, 2, B).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this strengthen ties with allied countries? — Faster delivery of defense articles is intended to strengthen relationships with allies and partners.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill supports competitiveness for businesses involved in direct commercial defense sales.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill aims to boost US competitiveness by facilitating more direct commercial sales of defense articles.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires an annual unclassified report to Congress regarding defense article transfers.
- 9/3/2025
- Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- 9/2/2025
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 395 - 20 (Roll no. 219). (text: CR H3727)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 395 - 20 (Roll no. 219). (text: CR H3727)
- Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H3741)
- At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4216.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H3727-3728)
- Mr. Baumgartner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 7/22/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.
- 6/27/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- 5 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Michael BaumgartnerRepublican · Washington
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Richard McCormickRepublican · Georgia
James MoylanRepublican · Guam
Ryan ZinkeRepublican · Montana