Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025
Floor Speech
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1713, the Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Lucas.
H.R. 1713 aims to add the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, also known as CFIUS, when there is an agriculture-related issue. Recognizing the importance of safe food and of national security involving agriculture, H.R. 1713 also requires CFIUS to determine whether a national security review is necessary upon notification from the Secretary of Agriculture that an agricultural land transaction could somehow affect national security.
I do not want to add my voice to what I regard as alarmist voices talking about: Oh, my God, foreign interests, maybe even China, will buy American land. Keep in mind that we need investment in the United States.
When the Chinese buy a high-tech company, they can take that technology that is acquired back to China. When they buy farmland, they can't take the land back to China, and they can't take the food back to China unless we decide to let them. Of course, the President could step in in any kind of national emergency and prevent that.
There is discussion that the Chinese will buy a farm near, a couple miles away from the main entrance to a military base, but, of course, they could also park a car next to the military base. They can be in an Airbnb next to the military base. They could rent a farm. I don't think that the purchase of farmland poses the risks that are being overblown. I don't think China can ship our topsoil back to China nor do I think that China can deprive Americans of the ability to eat American food.
H.R. 1713 addresses these concerns, the concerns that people do have, by providing a path for the Secretary of Agriculture to notify CFIUS when those transactions, in the opinion of the Secretary of Agriculture, do pose a threat or at least a concern.
This bill is identical to what Congress passed in 2024, but that was in an appropriations bill. Passing it again will make sure that we make this part of permanent statute.
When we focus on the security of our agriculture, we should also note that arbitrary cuts are being made that will affect directly the poorest families in our country, particularly cutbacks to the SNAP program that provides safe nutrition to families that might otherwise go hungry.
We also noticed that the DOGE effort of Elon Musk, who apparently fortunately has returned most of his attention to his private businesses, not only illegally cut millions of dollars from U.S. Department of Agriculture activities but would deprive the Department of Agriculture with the expertise necessary to carry out this bill, and of course, deprives the USDA of the staff it needs to prevent the spread of food-borne disease.
Finally, I think the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization and illegally ending American food programs also exposes the entire world and ultimately the United States to substantial risks. Remember that when somebody suffers from a disease abroad, that gives a chance for the disease to replicate, mutate, and then migrate back to the United States.
I feel that H.R. 1713 does improve CFIUS. I urge my Republican colleagues also to work to protect SNAP, the USDA, and our efforts at global health. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
This bill, H.R. 1713, encourages more permanent, coordinated communications between those who focus on agriculture and our national security experts at CFIUS.
I commend the gentleman from Oklahoma for his work on the committee on so many different issues. I urge my Republican colleagues not only to support this bill but to support the activities of the Department of Agriculture, including SNAP, food inspections, and other efforts designed to make sure that our food supply is safe, available, and secure.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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