Sen. Cruz, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Military Installations from Adversary Land Purchases
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act to protect Department of Defense (DOD) installations and training areas from our adversaries. The bill restricts the purchase of certain property by a foreign person acting for or on behalf of Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea.
Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “Foreign adversaries are exploiting loopholes to acquire land near our military bases and training routes, jeopardizing the safety of our troops and the integrity of our operations. I am proud to introduce this legislation, which will block our adversaries from acquiring assets that could undermine our defense. I urge the Senate to expeditiously take it up and pass it.”
Sen. Scott said, “The federal government has a duty to protect the American people and our military bases from espionage and terrorist attacks, especially in the face of threats from Russian, Chinese, North Korean and Iranian state actors. These are known enemies who want to bring harm upon America and our way of life – they have no business owning land anywhere near our military bases or sensitive air spaces. This is a no-brainer. It’s time to put America first and pass this good bill.”
Sen. Budd said, “The Chinese Communist Party’s purchase of land near military facilities around our country is a direct threat to our national security. This practice must be stopped to keep military installations in North Carolina and around the country secure. I’d like to thank Senator Cruz for leading this critical legislation.”
Sen. Britt said, “The Chinese Communist Party and adversaries around the globe are constantly looking for opportunities to undermine the United States, including making investments here in America. The Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act expands the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to protect our national security assets here at home from our adversaries. This is especially important to Alabama with our many military installations.”
Sen. Tuberville said, “Our adversaries are doing everything they can to claim land dangerously close to some of our nation’s most important military installations and ranges. Allowing land ownership by Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran in our sovereign country is a slippery slope. Alabama is home to five military installations that are integral to our national security—if a bad actor is anywhere within a 100-mile radius, we need to know. It is crucial that CFIUS adopts this practice sooner rather than later. Joe Biden created a national security crisis and Congress has an obligation to immediately protect our military installations from bad actors.”
Sen. Mullin said, “It’s bad enough that American citizens have to worry about convicted criminal illegal aliens wandering our streets after four years of open borders—we shouldn’t have to worry about them infiltrating our military installations, too. As we clean up the mess Joe Biden left behind, this legislation is necessary to ensure that in addition to securing our southern border, we protect our military installations and all who inhabit them from criminal illegals who threaten our national security.”
Sen. Cotton said, “America’s adversaries have no business purchasing land in our country, especially near military bases. This important legislation addresses a serious hole in our national security.”
The bill is co-sponsored by joined by Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
Read the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act here.
BACKGROUND
The Protecting Military Installations and Rangers Act would expand the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to include real estate investments in the U.S. by entities linked to China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea, if the investments are located within 100 miles of a military installation or 50 miles of a military training route, special use airspace, controlled firing area, or military operations area.
The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) would be prohibited from issuing final determinations regarding specified projects that involve a transaction under review by the committee until the committee has concluded its review.
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