Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) has recently collaborated with Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, along with four fellow senators, to introduce the Protect Our Bases Act. The legislation is designed to address concerns related to foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites, with a focus on strengthening the oversight of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).*
The Protect Our Bases Act has garnered bipartisan support and seeks to ensure that CFIUS has the ability to thoroughly review foreign land purchases in proximity to sites critical to national security. This is achieved by mandating that member agencies update and review their lists of these sensitive sites annually.
Senator Britt, when discussing the bill, stated, “Whether it is the Chinese Communist Party, Iran, or Russia, we must do everything in our power to prevent foreign adversaries from gaining access to intelligence that threatens our national security or strategic advantage. It is common sense that we safeguard critical military and government sites, and I’m proud to support this legislation that would help CFIUS conduct thorough oversight over foreign land purchases.”
Ranking Member Scott shared similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding national security. He noted, “The Chinese Communist Party can’t be allowed to compromise the security of military and government facilities on our home turf. By enhancing the review of foreign real estate transactions near sites that are vital to U.S. national security, this legislation will increase accountability to help ensure the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States can take proper action to push back on Communist China and keep our nation safe.”
The Protect Our Bases Act boasts a list of cosponsors that includes Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Rounds (R-S.Dak.), and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.).
The need for this legislation was brought to the forefront by an incident in 2022 when Fufeng Group, a Chinese company associated with the Chinese Communist Party, announced its intention to purchase land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. In this case, CFIUS was unable to assess the transaction for national security risks due to the Department of Defense’s failure to list the base as a sensitive site. Though the transaction was ultimately blocked, it underscored a significant loophole in the foreign land purchase review process. CFIUS relies on its member agencies to provide updated information on sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites to ensure a proper evaluation of security risks.
The Protect Our Bases Act will require CFIUS member agencies to furnish updated records of designated sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory facilities for national security purposes on an annual basis. The legislation also mandates that CFIUS submit an annual report to Congress certifying the completion of these reviews and the accuracy of its real estate listings.
