IARN — Earlier this summer, Dan Newhouse, the Chair of the Congressional Western Caucus introduced an amendment to the Ag appropriations bill prohibiting the purchase of farmland by the People’s Republic of China.
The Amendment would also make Ag lands currently owned by the Chinese government ineligible for farm programs.
Newhouse says allowing the Chinese government to continue to purchase farmland across the U.S. poses an immediate threat to U.S. national security, as well as food security.
He noted when the amendment was first proposed, it received strong bipartisan support. However, as time as continued, Democrats expressed concerns, saying Newhouse’s amendment would increase anti-Asian sentiment in the United States.
“I don’t see that being the case, myself, this is only directed at the communist government of the People’s Republic of China, not again Chinese individuals or Chinese individuals. I give the American public way more credit than that that they can discern the difference between a government and an individual. I think Americans are much smarter than that.”
Because of that, Newhouse says the language of the Amendment was changed in the Rules Committee to include Russia, Iran and North Korea.
While the Amendment is not what he would like to see, Newhouse is hopeful something can now be done to address this growing problem of the Chinese government owning a growing number of American ag acres.
“Something that is a stated goal in their long-term plan to change worldwide dynamic where they are in control and that includes assets in our country. And I think we should take every step we can to stop that as early as possible in its tracks.”
That’s Representative Dan Newhouse, a Washington state Republican.
