Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott is spearheading a legislative effort to bolster national security by enhancing the review process for foreign land purchases near sensitive U.S. military and intelligence sites. The proposed legislation, known as the Protect Our Bases Act, has been introduced with support from several senators including Mike Crapo, Mike Rounds, Thom Tillis, John Kennedy, Bill Hagerty, Katie Britt, Pete Ricketts, Jim Banks, Kevin Cramer, Bernie Moreno, and Dave McCormick.
The bill mandates that agencies involved in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) annually update records of facilities designated as sensitive for national security purposes. “The Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to infiltrate and surveil all parts of the U.S national security apparatus requires vigilance from our national security agencies,” stated Chairman Scott. He emphasized that the legislation aims to enhance CFIUS’s ability to protect critical installations.
Senator Crapo highlighted Idaho’s military installations and research activities at the Idaho National Laboratory as areas requiring increased scrutiny regarding land sales. Senator Tillis pointed out that the act ensures CFIUS has current information on key U.S. locations to prevent potentially dangerous transactions.
Senator Hagerty noted past attempts by foreign adversaries to exploit America’s real estate market and stressed that this bill provides tools to identify and stop risky transactions. Senator Britt described allowing CFIUS reviews of such purchases as “common sense” for strengthening national security.
Senator Ricketts argued against allowing adversaries like Communist China to acquire land near military bases. Senator Cramer mentioned that every acquisition by foreign adversaries poses a risk to national safety and advocated for transparency in these transactions.
Senator Moreno underscored the threat posed by foreign land purchases near sensitive sites while Senator McCormick called for rigorous oversight of such transactions as essential for maintaining national security.
A notable incident in 2022 involving Fufeng Group’s attempted purchase of land near Grand Forks Air Force Base illustrated flaws in the current review process due to outdated site listings by CFIUS member agencies. The Protect Our Bases Act seeks to address these issues by ensuring updated records are maintained and utilized effectively in national security reviews.
