The Australian government is hailing the US Congress for green lighting the sale of nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra. More than two-thirds of the House of Representatives on Thursday approved the deal agreed to under the AUKUS security pact that also includes Britain.

The three Virginia-class submarines are scheduled to be transferred by the early 2030s. The security deal signed two years ago allows Australia to acquire eight new subs with the help of the US and the UK.

The AUKUS members see Australia's involvement in the framework as a means to counter China's increased naval presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke in a radio interview on Friday. He called the US Congress' approval "an extraordinary achievement" which is "important for Australia's national security." Albanese had lobbied US lawmakers to pass the defense bill by the end of this year when he last visited Washington.

The submarine deal could cost Australians up to about 250 billion US dollars over three decades. Critics say this could eventually lead to a tax hike that would come amid the country's cost-of-living crisis.