U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia) on Monday announced his bill, H.R. 3357, the "Protecting America's Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act," has been included in the Republican Study Committee's (RSC) H.R. 7476, "Countering Communist China Act."
According to Strong, this legislation would prohibit the purchase or lease of U.S. agricultural land by individuals associated with the governments of China and other foreign adversaries.
The United States currently lacks accurate data on foreign land ownership and investment due to loopholes and inaccurate reporting. This legislation addresses gaps in the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to ensure transparency and accurate reporting of foreign land ownership in the United States.
Strong said, "The Chinese Communist Party is one of the greatest national security threats facing the American people. From the Chinese production of fentanyl coming across our southern border to Chinese companies undermining U.S. trade, the "Countering Communist China Act" rewrites American laws to better deal with this threat."
"With the inclusion of my bill, this legislation will prohibit individuals associated with the governments of our foreign adversaries - including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia - from purchasing or leasing American agricultural land—protecting our food, fiber, and fuel supply chains," he added.
Strong's statement claimed that the United States Department of Agriculture data shows Chinese investment in U.S. farmland increased from $81 million in 2010 to $1.8 billion in 2020.
He added that much of this is in close proximity to sensitive national security sites, which presents an enormous threat to national security.
"We can no longer turn a blind eye to the threat that is posed by a lack of transparency and effective monitoring of who is growing, producing, and marketing our food safety and agriculture products. My bill and this RSC legislation address these threats directly," Strong outlined. "These protections are critical, both to ensure that every American is protected against foreign adversaries and to defend the interests of the millions of American families who make a living feeding our nation and world."
Fighting China has been one of the few items of Congress that has been a bipartisan effort. Strong's bill being included in the "Countering Communist China Act" will allow it to move through Congress quicker and become law.
A one-page review of the "Countering Communist China Act" can be read here.
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