East County News Service
January 30, 2023 (Washington D.C.) — Congressman Darrell Issa (R-48) has introduced the Saving Our Invaluable Land (SOIL) Act, which would prohibit China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing land within 10 miles of sensitive U.S. agencies and strategic sites, including military bases and federally-funded research labs.
“Our country has a compelling interest in preventing our foremost adversaries from gaining access to property near the most sensitive and strategic sites in the American homeland. This problem did not emerge overnight, but it has grown worse every year,” said Rep. Issa, noting, “It’s time for Congress to act.”
He adds, “The risks to national security are manifestly obvious, and we must move swiftly as a Congress and as a nation to guard against the spying and surveillance that is enabled when we allow our adversaries to gain control of our land.”
Congressman Issa also pointed out that China now owns and controls 192,000 acres of farmland in the United States – amounting to $80 million more in Chinese investment than 10 years ago.
Two other members of Congress, Elise Stefanik and Rick Crawford, have introduced the Agricultural Foreign Investment Transparency Act(link is external) to address this national security threat.