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John Moolenaar, Chairman of the Select Committee on China, has introduced the Protecting US Farmland and Sensitive Sites from Foreign Adversaries Act, according to a press release issued by the SCCCP.
The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen U.S. national and food security by addressing loopholes in federal oversight related to foreign land acquisitions. According to the SCCCP release, foreign adversaries such as China have for years been able to acquire American farmland and properties located near sensitive national security sites with minimal scrutiny, and in some cases, without any review at all. The release stated that such purchases create risks for critical infrastructure, military preparedness, and the stability of the US food supply chain. "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 the United States farmland and real estate near sensitive facilities. This is a top concern of the American people and I hope Congress will act quickly to pass it into law," Moolenaar said, as quoted in the SCCCP release. The release also cited remarks by Adam Savit, Director for China Policy at AFPI and former Senior Advisor for National Security at the US Department of Agriculture. Savit stated that foreign adversaries, particularly China, have taken advantage of gaps in federal laws to acquire land near US military bases, critical infrastructure, and food supply locations. "We must treat food security as national security, and the federal government needs the jurisdiction and the tools to stop these transactions before they happen, not to negotiate mitigation agreements after the fact. States have led on this issue for years, and federal law should reinforce their efforts. Legislation is needed to close these loopholes and protect critical American infrastructure and American communities, and the provisions of this bill do just that," Savit said, as highlighted in the SCCCP release. According to the release, the bill grants the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) the authority required to review real estate transactions involving foreign adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. It also categorises the purchase of US farmland and critical infrastructure by foreign adversaries as posing an unacceptable national security risk, with limited exceptions. The legislation further creates a new classification called "elevated risk real estate transactions," mandating reviews of acquisitions involving farmland, ports, telecommunications infrastructure, and properties located near military bases and intelligence facilities. Additionally, the bill incorporates food security and agricultural biotechnology concerns into CFIUS review procedures and ensures that the Secretary of Agriculture plays a central role in evaluating such transactions, according to the SCCCP release. (ANI)
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