The Australia - United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) is a preferential trade agreement between Australia and the United States modelled on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The free trade agreement (FTA) was signed on 18 May 2004, ratified by the U.S. House of Representatives on 14 July 2004 by a vote of 314 109 and by the U.S. Senate on 15 July 2004 by a vote of 80 16. President George W. Bush signed the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act into law on 3 August 2004. The FTA came into force on 1 January 2005.