Lawmakers move to limit foreign real estate buys near military bases

Senate Republicans are ramping up efforts to restrict foreign government investment in U.S. real estate near American military bases, calling it a looming risk for troops’ safety and national security.

On Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, which requires a review by federal authorities before entities linked to China, Russia, Iran or North Korea can purchase land within 100 miles of an armed forces installation.

“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,” Cruz said, urging quick consideration of the bill.

The legislation, which stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate last session, appears to have more momentum in the Republican-majority chamber this year. Among the growing list of co-sponsors is Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who serves as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and could be a key voice in convincing leadership to prioritize the measure.

On Wednesday, Cotton said America’s adversaries “have no business purchasing land in our country, especially near military bases.”

The bill would broaden the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, which reviews a host of transactions involving foreign investment on American soil. Its members include representatives from the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, Treasury and Justice, among others.

The committee currently has authority to review real estate purchases by foreign companies or groups near military bases, but only within a few miles of the sites. Cruz’s bill would broaden that dramatically, allowing review of purchases within 100 miles of installations and within 50 miles of training ranges or special operations areas.

But the authority would only extend to investments by groups linked to those four countries, with China being a particular focus. Conservative lawmakers have frequently voiced worries regarding potential espionage attempts on U.S. soil and raised concerns about heavy investment in farmland by Chinese companies in recent years.

Department of Agriculture officials said firms linked to the Chinese government owned about 278,000 acres of farmland in America at the start of 2024, with many of those sites near military installations.

Still, USDA officials noted that all the land linked to China totals less than 1% of all foreign farmland investments across America. CFIUS officials would be charged with determining whether any future investments should be flagged or blocked for potential threats and monitoring for national security risks.

“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,” co-sponsor Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., said in a statement, adding that the bill will “protect our national security assets here at home from our adversaries.”

Officials from Cruz’ office have been consulting with CFIUS officials to ensure the legislation does not create backlogs in real estate sales. No timetable has been set for hearings or committee votes on the legislation.