So concerning are these impediments that within the past six weeks half-a-dozen US senators and congressmen have introduced legislation to speed up the removal of export controls on US defence articles for Australia. Last week, Democrat Joe Courtney and two colleagues introduced the AUKUS Undersea Defence bill, which will allow for the transfer of Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, while last month Republican senators Jim Risch and Bill Hagerty introduced the Truncating Onerous Regulations for Partners and Enhancing Deterrence Operations – or TORPEDO – bill. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy is hoping the onerous US export controls on military technology…