Rep. Steube Introduces Legislation to Block Foreign Adversaries from US Land Purchases
WASHINGTON — U.S. Representative Greg Steube (R-Fla.) introduced this week the Protecting Our Land Act to prohibit any foreign person who is a foreign adversary, state sponsor of terrorism, anyone controlled or owed or affiliated by them, any agent or instrumentalities of a foreign adversary, to purchase public or private real estate located in the United States.
“Nefarious foreign acquisition of our U.S. land jeopardizes everything from our national security to our food security,” said Rep. Greg Steube. “Why in the world would we want China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, and other adversarial countries to purchase thousands of acres in strategic U.S. locations? I am introducing commonsense legislation to block these individuals from land purchases. My bill will curb malicious foreign activities on American soil and make America safer.”
The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act requires foreign entities to disclose their purchases of American agricultural land. USDA’s 2020 Foreign Holdings of U.S. Agricultural Land report shows foreign individuals held an interest in 37.6 million acres of U.S. farmland. Current reporting shows that foreign-owned agricultural acreage has nearly doubled in the past decade. However, the data that has been collected is incomplete and inaccurate.
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