Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today renewed her call for the passage of the Protect Our Bases Act, a piece of legislation she introduced alongside Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.). The Act aims to enhance the protection of America’s military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites. Senator Britt’s statement follows the Treasury Department’s release of a proposed rule intended to bolster the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ (CFIUS) safeguarding measures.
“We cannot allow foreign adversaries to gain access to our sensitive military, intelligence, or national laboratory sites,” said Senator Britt. “It’s encouraging to see the Treasury Department take some of our advice from the Protect Our Bases Act, but America’s security demands more. It’s past time for Congress to pass this commonsense legislation that would prevent foreign adversaries from gaining access to critical intelligence that could jeopardize our national security and strategic interests.”
CFIUS is responsible for reviewing transactions involving foreign investments into the U.S. to assess potential national security risks. The newly proposed rule would mandate that CFIUS review real estate transactions near military installations to prevent foreign adversaries from acquiring land in close proximity to these sensitive areas. In Alabama, this rule would cover locations such as the Anniston Army Depot, Fort Novosel, Maxwell Air Force Base, and Redstone Arsenal. The updated rule incorporates language similar to that found in the Protect Our Bases Act.
The Protect Our Bases Act would require CFIUS to review foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites. Additionally, the Act mandates CFIUS to submit an annual confidential report to Congress, certifying the completion of these reviews and the accuracy of its real estate listings.
A notable incident in 2022 underscored the need for this legislation. The Fufeng Group, a Chinese company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, announced plans to purchase land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. CFIUS was unable to evaluate the transaction for national security risks because the Department of Defense had not listed the base as a sensitive site for national security purposes. Although the City of Grand Forks ultimately blocked the transaction, the situation highlighted a significant flaw in the foreign land purchase review process.
