U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) recently joined her colleagues in passing the bipartisan, bicameral Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act. This legislation aims to prevent China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from investing in, purchasing, leasing, or otherwise acquiring U.S. farmland.
The bill was introduced by Senator Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) and is cosponsored by Senator Britt and nine of her Senate colleagues. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-New York).
The PASS Act would add the Secretary of Agriculture as a standing member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to consider agricultural needs when making national security determinations. Additionally, it would require a CFIUS review of agricultural land and business transactions by foreign individuals or entities and would also direct the President to prohibit any agricultural land transaction in the U.S. made by a foreign adversary.
āI believe that one acre of American farmland owned by our adversaries is one acre too many,ā said Senator Britt. āIām proud to cosponsor this legislation and grateful for Senator Roundsā leadership on this critical issue. Food security is national security, and we must prevent threats to the U.S. agricultural community that feeds and clothes our state, nation, and world. Iāll always fight to defend hardworking Americans while protecting our homeland.ā
āChina and Russia are our near-peer adversaries, and North Korea and Iran are no friends of the United States,ā said Sen. Rounds. āThese four adversaries view America as their top competitor and only wish to gain advantage and opportunities to surveil our nationās capabilities and resources. This commonsense provision will make our homeland more secure. I am pleased this amendment was included in this yearās NDAA, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this legislation across the finish line.ā
Earlier this year, Senator Britt participated in a Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing where she questioned Clay Lowery, the former chairman of CFIUS, who affirmed that the Secretary of Agriculture should likely be involved in CFIUS in āa systematic way.ā
This legislation is similar to the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act, which was introduced by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama). Britt also cosponsored the FARM Act.
āOver the past few years, weāve seen an alarming increase in foreign purchases of farmland and food companies, particularly by China,ā said Sen. Tuberville. āThese foreign investments are now reaching every piece of the very large puzzle that makes up our agriculture industry, from farming and processing, to packaging and shipping. Thatās why Americaās agriculture community needs to have a permanent seat at the table when our government vets foreign investment in our country. Adding all parts of the agricultural supply chain to the list of transactions reviewed by CFIUS is the first step toward ensuring Americaās agricultural suppliers can keep food on tables across the country.ā
Additionally, Britt introduced the Not One More Inch or Acre Act with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas). That legislation would prevent any Chinese national or entity from owning American land.
The PASS Act was passed as part of the Senateās Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Katie Britt is the ranking member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. She was elected to the Senate in 2022.
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