U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act to safeguard military bases and training areas from foreign adversaries, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The bill, co-sponsored by several Senate Republicans, addresses growing national security concerns over foreign purchases of U.S. land near military sites.
The nine-page bill mandates the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review any real estate transactions within 100 miles of a military installation or 50 miles of a military training route. The reviews would specifically target purchases by individuals or entities tied to hostile nations. Additionally, it would restrict energy projects while foreign investment reviews are underway. The Department of Defense and Department of Transportation would face limitations during this review process.
“Foreign adversaries are exploiting loopholes to acquire land near our military bases and training routes, jeopardizing the safety of our troops and the integrity of our operations,” Cruz said. “This bill will block our adversaries from acquiring assets that could undermine our defense.”
The legislation builds on similar measures, such as Texas’ Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott. That law prevents contracts with companies owned or controlled by hostile foreign nations. The Texas law was prompted by revelations that a former Chinese People’s Liberation Army general purchased over 130,000 acres near Laughlin Air Force Base, a critical training site for U.S. pilots.
Other states have followed suit. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a 2023 bill banning the sale of farmland and land near military installations to Chinese Communist Party-affiliated entities. It also prohibits contracts between government entities and the CCP or other foreign entities of concern.
Cruz’s bill comes amidst escalating security challenges, including a record influx of over 1.6 million illegal border crossers from countries such as China, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Russia under the Biden administration. The U.S. State Department has identified several of these nations as violating human rights and religious freedoms or sponsoring terrorism.
The Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act reflects growing bipartisan recognition of the need to counter foreign influence near critical U.S. defense infrastructure.
