REFERENCE TITLE: securing America's lands; foreign interference

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-sixth Legislature

First Regular Session

2023

HR 2002

Introduced by

Representative Griffin

A Concurrent Memorial

urging the United States Congress to enact the securing america's land from foreign interference act or similar legislation.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

To the Congress of the United States:

Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, the United States Department of Agriculture reports that at the end of 2020, foreign investors held an interest in more than 37 million acres of United States agricultural land, with China's investment increasing from 13,720 acres in 2010 to more than 350,000 in 2020; and

Whereas, from 2009 to 2016, China's agricultural investments in countries around the world grew substantially; and

Whereas, Chinese investments in American property could provide the Chinese Communist Party with undue leverage over our nation's supply chains as well as access to sensitive national security information; and

Whereas, approximately 14 states have restrictions in place regarding the amount of private agricultural land that foreign interests may own, but the federal government has yet to enact any restrictions on foreign ownership of United States real estate; and

Whereas, as American farmers age and the amount of U.S. farmland changing hands increases in coming years, foreign land grabbing will become an even greater threat; and

Whereas, foreign investments in American farmland, particularly by the Chinese Communist Party, not only provide opportunities for espionage against our military bases and infrastructure but may also undermine our nation's food security; and

Whereas, in the last congressional session, several members of Congress introduced legislation known as the "Securing America's Land from Foreign Interference Act."  These bills, S. 4703 and H.R. 3847, would require the United States President to take action to prohibit members of the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing public or private real estate located in the United States; and

Whereas, it is imperative that Congress take action to prohibit our nation's top adversaries from purchasing land in the United States in order to protect our nation's food supply and national security.

Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:

      1. That the United States Congress enact the Securing America's Land from Foreign Interference Act, or similar legislation, to prohibit the sale of United States land to foreign investors.

      2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.