What This Bill Does
This bill directs the President to stop certain people and businesses from buying farm land and ranches in the United States. It also prevents these same groups from participating in agriculture programs run by the Secretary of Agriculture, with an exception for food inspection and food safety work.
Who It Affects
The bill affects people from outside the United States who are not permanent residents (nonresident aliens), foreign businesses, and anyone acting as an agent (representative), trustee (someone managing assets), or fiduciary (someone handling money or property) for the Government of the People's Republic of China.
Key Provisions
* The President must take necessary actions to prohibit the purchase of public or private agricultural real estate (including ranching land) in the United States by nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, or agents, trustees or fiduciaries of the Government of the People's Republic of China (Sec. 2(a))
* The President must take necessary actions to prohibit participation in agriculture programs run by the Secretary of Agriculture by the same groups listed above, except those programs involving food inspection or food and safety regulatory requirements (Sec. 2(b))
* "United States" includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and any other United States territory or possession (Sec. 2(c))
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, people and businesses tied to the Chinese government would not be allowed to buy agricultural land in the United States or join agriculture department programs (with limited exceptions for food safety work).
Important Definitions
* Nonresident aliens: people from outside the United States who do not have permanent resident status
* Agricultural real estate: land used for farming or ranching
* Fiduciary: someone legally responsible for managing another person's or organization's money or property
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 809
To prohibit certain persons from purchasing agricultural real estate in the
United States, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 2, 2023
Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself, Mr. ROUZER, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, Mr.
FITZPATRICK, Mr. RESCHENTHALER, Mr. BERGMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of
South Dakota, Ms. SALAZAR, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. BOST,
Mr. GUEST, Mr. C. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, Mr. FLOOD, Mr.
FEENSTRA, Mr. LAMALFA, Mrs. RODGERS of Washington, Mr. STAUBER,
Mrs. BOEBERT, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. WESTERMAN, Mr. VALADAO, Mr.
JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. ARMSTRONG, Mr. GIMENEZ, Mr. LATTA, Mr.
GAETZ, Ms. LETLOW, Mr. NUNN of Iowa, Mr. YAKYM, Mr. ELLZEY, Mr.
RUTHERFORD, Mr. MOORE of Utah, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Ms.
TENNEY, Mr. ZINKE, Mrs. HINSON, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. STEW-
ART, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mrs. CAMMACK, Mr. JACKSON of Texas,
Mr. MURPHY, Mr. BAIRD, Mrs. MCCLAIN, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. WITTMAN,
Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia, Mrs. FISCHBACH, Mr. ARRINGTON, Mr.
CARL, Ms. MACE, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. BURCHETT, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr.
BALDERSON, Mrs. HOUCHIN, Mr. BUCK, and Mr. SMITH of Missouri) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agri-
culture, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
A BILL
To prohibit certain persons from purchasing agricultural real
estate in the United States, and for other purposes.
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•HR 809 IH
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prohibition of Agricul-
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tural Land for the People’s Republic of China Act’’.
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SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON THE PURCHASE OF PUBLIC OR
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PRIVATE AGRICULTURAL REAL ESTATE LO-
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CATED IN THE UNITED STATES BY NATION-
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ALS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
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sion of law, the President shall take such actions as may
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be necessary to prohibit the purchase of public or private
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agricultural (including ranching) real estate located in the
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United States by nonresident aliens, foreign businesses,
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or any agent, trustee, or fiduciary associated with the Gov-
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ernment of the People’s Republic of China.
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(b) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
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sion of law, the President shall take such actions as may
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be necessary to prohibit participation in programs admin-
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istered by the Secretary of Agriculture by nonresident
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aliens, foreign businesses, or any agent, trustee, or fidu-
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ciary associated with the Government of the People’s Re-
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public of China, with the exception for food inspection or
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other food and safety regulatory requirements.
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•HR 809 IH
(c) UNITED STATES DEFINED.—The term ‘‘United
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States’’ means the several States, the District of Colum-
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bia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Common-
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wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American
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Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and any
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other territory or possession of the United States.
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Æ
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