Congressman Darrell Issa has introduced new legislation aimed at preventing foreign adversaries from purchasing land near sensitive U.S. sites. The bill, known as H.R. 4454 or the Safeguarding Invaluable Land (SOIL) Act, targets countries such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. It seeks to prohibit these nations from acquiring property within a 10-mile radius of strategic locations like military bases and federally funded research laboratories.
Rep. Issa emphasized the importance of this measure for national security. “Our country has a clear and compelling interest in preventing our adversaries from controlling property near the most sensitive and strategic sites in the American homeland,” he stated. He further warned about the risks associated with allowing hostile entities to gain a foothold on American soil.
The concern arises from current ownership statistics indicating that affiliates of the Chinese Communist Party possess 384,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land—a figure that has grown by 30 percent since 2019. These holdings represent more than $80 million in investments over the past decade.
The SOIL Act is supported by several cosponsors: Congressman Doug LaMalfa, Congressman Ben Cline, Congressman Glenn Grothman, Congressman Rudy Yakym, and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman.
