Congress·In Committee·S. 903

Congress Proposes Ban on China and Russia Buying U.S. Farmland Near Military Bases

PASS Act

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: House GOP Unveils 2026 Farm Bill Focused on Security and Rural Investment

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would give the government more power to stop foreign countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from buying American farmland or agricultural businesses. It specifically targets land located near military bases or other sensitive government buildings to protect national security.
The rules apply to people or companies acting on behalf of those four specific countries. It is important to note that these restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens or people who have a green card to live and work in the United States legally.
Lawmakers are concerned that foreign adversaries could use American land to spy on military operations or gain too much control over the U.S. food supply and farming technology. By reviewing these sales, the government aims to keep the food system and military sites safe.
The Secretary of Agriculture would join a special federal committee that reviews foreign investments. If a deal involves a foreign adversary buying land near a sensitive site, the President must block the sale unless they officially decide the deal is in the best interest of the United States.
If this bill becomes law, the new rules would take effect about one year later. This gives the government time to write the specific regulations and for the public to understand how the new system will work.

AgricultureNational Security Foreign Policy

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Mar 6, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Approximately 1 year after enactment

Regulations must be issued within one year of the bill becoming law

The government would write detailed rules about which land transactions are covered and how the review process works. Until these rules are finalized, no new restrictions take effect.

About 13 months after enactment

New restrictions take effect 30 days after regulations are finalized

Starting on this date, the government can block foreign adversary purchases of farmland near military bases. Any pending or new transactions would be subject to review and potential prohibition.