Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB212

Introduced
1/9/23  

Caption

Protecting our Land Act This bill requires the President to direct federal agencies to promulgate rules and regulations to prohibit foreign adversaries or state sponsors of terrorism from purchasing real estate located in the United States.

Impact

The bill's implementation is anticipated to create a significant shift in the handling of foreign investments in U.S. real estate. If enacted, this legislation would alter existing property laws by adding a layer of federal scrutiny to transactions involving international buyers, particularly those flagged as security threats. This could potentially discourage foreign investors from entering the U.S. market, particularly in strategic areas, while seeking to protect sensitive locations and assets from foreign influence.

Summary

House Bill 212, known as the Protecting our Land Act, seeks to prohibit the purchase of public or private real estate in the United States by foreign adversaries and state sponsors of terrorism. The bill mandates that the President directs federal agencies to develop and enforce regulations that will restrict real estate transactions involving entities classified as foreign adversaries or state sponsors of terrorism. The overarching goal of the legislation is to enhance national security by preventing potential threats that could arise from foreign ownership of American land.

Contention

However, the bill is not without controversy. Critics have voiced concerns regarding its broad definitions, which could lead to unintended consequences such as the exclusion of legitimate foreign investors whose investments do not pose a security threat. Additionally, there are apprehensions about the implications for real estate markets and property rights, with opponents of the bill arguing that the restrictions may infringe upon the rights of property owners and hinder economic growth. The balance between national security and open markets is at the forefront of the debates surrounding this bill, highlighting the complexities involved in its potential enactment.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

US HB458

Protecting our Land Act This bill requires the President to direct federal agencies to promulgate rules and regulations to prohibit foreign adversaries or state sponsors of terrorism from purchasing real estate located in the United States.

US HB344

Securing America's Land from Foreign Interference Act This bill requires the President to take actions as necessary to prohibit members of the Chinese Communist Party (and entities owned, controlled, or influenced by the party) from purchasing real estate located in the United States.

US HB57

Protecting Personal Data from Foreign Adversaries Act This bill authorizes sanctions and other prohibitions relating to software that engages in user data theft on behalf of certain foreign countries or entities. The President may regulate or prohibit transactions using software that engages in the theft or unauthorized transmission of user data and provides access to such data to (1) a communist country, (2) the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), (3) a foreign adversary, or (4) a state sponsor of terrorism. The President may also impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on developers and owners of software that makes unauthorized transmissions of user data to servers located in China that are accessible by China's government or the CCP. The Department of State shall report to Congress a determination regarding whether WeChat or TikTok fall within certain regulations and prohibitions, including those provided under this bill. (WeChat and TikTok are software programs developed by China-based companies.)

US HB263

Stop Trying to Obsessively Vilify Energy Act or the STOVE Act This bill prohibits federal agencies from promulgating rules or guidances that restrict or ban the use and purchase of gas-powered stoves, cooktops, ranges, or ovens in the United States.

US HB4577

Protecting U.S. Farmland and Sensitive Sites From Foreign Adversaries Act

US HB809

Securing America's Land from Foreign Interference ActThis bill requires the President to take actions as necessary to prohibit members of the Chinese Communist Party (and entities owned, controlled, or influenced by the party) from purchasing real estate located in the United States, U.S. territories, or U.S. possessions.

US HB1438

Protecting America's Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act of 2025This bill prohibits persons associated with the governments of Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia from purchasing or leasing agricultural land in the United States.Specifically, the President must prohibit any person (individual or entity) owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of these foreign governments from purchasing or leasing (1) public agricultural land that is owned by the United States and administered by a federal department or agency, or (2) private agricultural land that is located in the United States.A person that violates or attempts to violate this prohibition is subject to civil and criminal penalties. This prohibition does not require a person that owns or leases agricultural land as of the date of this bill's enactment to sell that land.Further, the President must prohibit a person associated with these foreign governments and who leases, or who has full or partial ownership of, agricultural land in the United States from participating in Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Exceptions are included to allow for participation in USDA programs related to food safety, the health and labor safety of individuals, or certain reporting and disclosure requirements.The bill excludes U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents from these restrictions.The bill also amends the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) to require reporting on security interests and leases.Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress on AFIDA.

US HB79

WHO Withdrawal Act This bill requires the President to immediately withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and prohibits using any federal funds to provide for U.S. participation in the WHO. The bill also repeals the 1948 act authorizing the United States to join the WHO.

US SB2025

A bill to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit the provision of any foreign assistance for state sponsors of terrorism.

US HB314

Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends Act or the FORCE Act This bill prohibits removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism until the President makes the determination that a transition government in Cuba is in power.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.