Marc Molinaro: “The Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, CFIUS, is the chief body responsible for monitoring foreign…”

“The Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, CFIUS, is the chief body responsible for monitoring foreign financial influence in our Nation and the national security risk it poses. My amendment would direct CFIUS to evaluate the rising threat of U.S. agricultural operations owned by adversarial nations. Food security is national security, and recent reports have indicated a disturbing trend of increased ownership of farm operations by entities with ties to the Chinese and Russian Governments, which is alarming and dangerous. Whether it is actual farmland or advanced agribusinesses, adversarial control over these entities provides adversaries the opportunity to spy on our military assets, steal revolutionary ag technology and research, and undermine the United States food system. This issue has garnered bipartisan support on the Agriculture Committee because it is essential for the protection of American agriculture and for the protection of our family farms. CFIUS could be a critical tool in better evaluating this risk and improving our response to this threat. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”