S 1744 United States Senate · 119th Congress

PORCUPINE Act

This bill modifies U.S. export control laws to include Taiwan in specific certification, reporting, and licensing requirements previously listing only New Zealand. It directly affects U.S. military exports and transfers involving Taiwan by adding Taiwan to lists of eligible recipients in multiple sections of the Arms Export Control Act. The key provision creates a new expedited review process (15 days for government-to-government deals, 30 days for others) for defense transfers from U.S. allies (NATO members, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel, New Zealand) to Taiwan. This aims to streamline military equipment transfers while requiring a report on implementation within one year.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

May 2025

Committee Review

Oct 2025

Senate Passage

Dec 2025

House Passage

President

Introduced May 13, 2025 Last action Dec 15, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in Senate → Engrossed in Senate · 6 edits · Dec 11, 2025

MODERATE

The Engrossed version significantly weakens Section 3 by replacing a mandate to establish an expedited licensing process for third-party military transfers to Taiwan with only a requirement to assess the feasibility of doing so. New provisions add a biennial reporting requirement, a rule of construction preserving the Taiwan Relations Act, and a 7-year sunset clause that limits the entire Act's duration.

Scope change

The bill's core operative provision was downgraded from a binding mandate to create an expedited licensing process for allied military transfers to Taiwan, to a non-binding feasibility study. The addition of a 7-year sunset clause further limits the Act's long-term applicability, and the rule of construction explicitly preserves existing Taiwan Relations Act policy as unchanged.

SCOPE

Section 3 changed from requiring the Secretary of State to establish an expedited decision-making process for third-party defense transfers to Taiwan, to only conducting a feasibility assessment of whether such a process could be established. The specific 15-day and 30-day processing timelines are now framed as elements to evaluate rather than binding requirements.

New Section 4 adds a rule of construction stating that nothing in the Act may be construed to alter US policy toward Taiwan as specified in the Taiwan Relations Act.

TIMELINE

The reporting requirement in Section 3 changed from a report due one year after the expedited process is established, to a briefing due within 180 days of enactment on the outcome of the feasibility assessment.

New Section 5 adds a sunset provision causing the entire Act to cease having effect 7 years after enactment.

DEFINITION

In Section 2, the phrase 'Government of Taiwan' was changed to simply 'Taiwan' in the amendment to the Arms Export Control Act certification provisions.

REQUIREMENT

New subsection (b) added to Section 2 requiring the Secretary of State to submit a biennial report to Congress on the implementation and effectiveness of the Arms Export Control Act amendments.

Floor votes