New House Bill Would Make USDA’s Addition to CFIUS Permanent

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., introduced a bill last week that would permanently add the agriculture secretary to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review agricultural transactions.

Although the addition to CFIUS was included in an FY 2024 six-bill appropriations package that President Joe Biden signed into law in March (see 2403110058), that provision is temporary and will expire when FY 2024 ends Sept. 30, a Newhouse spokesperson said Sept. 4.

“By introducing a standalone bill, the congressman is working to ensure that the secretary of agriculture has a seat at the CFIUS table to prevent the [Chinese Communist Party] and other adversaries from purchasing our farmland past the expiration of this fiscal year,” the spokesperson said in an e-mail.

Newhouse said he’s concerned that Chinese purchases of U.S. farmland could jeopardize the American food supply. His bill was referred to the House committees on Agriculture, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services and Foreign Affairs.