U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) said his legislation would protect national security interests by preventing foreign adversaries like China from purchasing American farmland and real estate near sensitive national security sites.
The legislation, the Protecting U.S. Farmland and Sensitive Sites from Foreign Adversaries Act, would close gaps in federal oversight of foreign land acquisitions by ensuring Congressional committees have the jurisdiction necessary to address real estate transactions involving foreign adversaries like China, Russian, Iran and North Korea.
“Food security is national security, and we cannot allow foreign adversaries like China to buy up American farmland near our most sensitive military and critical infrastructure sites. This bipartisan legislation closes dangerous loopholes, presumptively bars foreign adversaries from purchasing land, and ensures the United States has the tools to stop these farmland deals before they threaten our security. It also implements the Trump Administration’s America First Investment Policy and USDA’s Farm Security Action Plan by giving the administration the authority needed to protect United States farmland and real estate near sensitive facilities. This a top concern of the American people and I hope Congress will act quickly to pass it into law,” Moolenaar said.
The legislation has bipartisan support. U.S. Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Dr. Neal Dunn (R-FL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Pat Harrington (R-NC), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Mike Thompson (D-CA) threw their support behind the bill as well.
Moolenaar’s bill would give the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United State the authority to oversee real estate transactions involving foreign adversaries, and it would make the purchase by any foreign adversary of U.S. farmland and critical infrastructure as an unacceptable risk to national security. The legislation would also create a new category of “elevated risk of real estate transactions,” that would require mandatory review of purchases involving farmland, ports, telecommunications infrastructure and locations near military installations and intelligence facilities . Lastly, the bill would incorporate food security and agricultural biotechnology risks into CFIUS reviews and ensure the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture is included as a key voice in evaluating those transactions.