WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) today with Senators Cruz (R-TX) and Rubio (R-FL), and Congressmen Ronny Jackson (TX-13) and Pat Fallon (TX-04) introduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, a bill to stop foreign adversaries from acquiring land near military bases. This legislation restricts any efforts by Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea to buy U.S. land within 100 miles of a U.S. military installation or 50 miles from military operations areas. It will also allow the Department of Defense (DOD) to prevent construction on any site under investigation and would mandate sending reports on this construction to lawmakers. Specifically, this bill could halt the construction of GH America Energy’s Blue Hills Wind Farm in Del Rio, Texas.
Read the full bill text here.
“We need to protect our bases from foreign espionage on our own soil,” said Congressman Gonzales. “This means sounding the alarm on any type of suspicious activity in the areas surrounding our bases, especially real estate transactions from companies associated with the Chinese Communist Party. As our foreign enemies grow more aggressive, protecting our military installations is a top priority. GH America Energy, a subsidiary of China’s Guanghei Energy, should never have been allowed to purchase land so close to Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio. I will continue to work to address this national security concern.”
“America will not tolerate espionage and is empowered to counter the widespread nefarious actions of adversarial regimes,” said Senator Cruz. “I am proud to introduce this commonsense bill to defend our national security interests and ensure regimes that threaten the United States – such as the Chinese Communist Party – don’t have the ability to purchase land in order to intercept and disrupt military activities.”
“The Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries should not be able to purchase land close to our military bases,” said Senator Rubio. “If the United States is going to get serious about combatting China and other foreign adversaries, our government must prevent them from acquiring U.S. property without scrutiny. This legislation would address this national security threat by expanding government oversight and security around military installations. I am proud to join Senator Cruz in introducing this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support its advancement.”
“I believe in a free-market economy that is not controlled by the federal government, but America’s national security should never be compromised as a result,” said Congressman Jackson. “Our adversaries are utilizing espionage campaigns disguised as business interests right next door to U.S. military instillations, which cannot be allowed to stand. America is the world’s only global superpower, and we will not be threatened by the likes of the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. I am proud to co-introduce this legislation which will protect America’s competitive advantage by ensuring no foreign adversary is able to set up shop in our military’s backyard where some of our most sensitive materials and military operations are housed.”
“I’m honored to introduce this important legislation alongside Rep. Gonzales and Rep. Jackson in the House as well as Senator Cruz and others in the Senate,” said Congressman Fallon. “This commonsense legislation provides the necessary protection to ensure our adversaries around the world cannot purchase strategically important real estate near our military installations and training routes. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I look forward to advocating for this bill and other critical national security provisions as we develop this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.”
