With reintroduction of the Protecting Military Installations from Foreign Espionage Act last week, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) sought once more to make it illegal for certain U.S. adversaries from purchasing any land near military bases or areas.
“As our foreign enemies grow more aggressive, protecting our military installations is a top priority,” Gonzales said. “This legislation would defend our national security by enhancing government security measures and vigilance around military installations. GH America Energy should never have been allowed to purchase land so close to Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio. I will continue to work to address this national security concern.”
GH America Energy is a subsidiary of China’s Guanghei Energy Company. It purchased 130,000 acres in Val Verde County in 2015 to develop a wind farm adjacent to Laughlin Air Force Base, the Air Force’s largest for training.
That would be a no-go under the specifics of the new bill, which, if enacted, would deny purchases to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea – and those deemed as acting on their behalf – within 100 miles of a military installation, 50 miles of a military training route, or to utilize special use airspace, controlled firing areas or military operations areas. The Department of Defense (DoD) would also gain the power to block construction on any site under federal investigation.
The bill returns when tensions are already high between the U.S. and China over a surveillance balloon that crisscrossed U.S. airspace before ultimately being shot down earlier this year. Tensions have also been heightened with Russia over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.