Rounds Provision to Review Foreign Ag Land Transactions Passes U.S. House
WASHINGTON – This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1713, the Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025, introduced by Representative Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), which included provisions of legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act. The legislation would require the Secretary of Agriculture to review all agriculture transactions reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS). It would give the U.S. Department of Agriculture the ability to refer cases to CFIUS for review if there is reason to believe an agriculture land transaction may raise a national security concern.
In addition to the House provisions, Rounds’ PASS Act would ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites.
“I am pleased to see that the House has passed legislation that would give the Secretary of Agriculture more oversight on foreign activity in America’s agriculture industry,” said Rounds. “This will make it easier to flag any unusual activity by our foreign adversaries that could threaten the United States. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to get this same provision passed on our side of the Capitol, in addition to further provisions of banning adversaries from buying the land near our sensitive sites.”
BACKGROUND:
Rounds has been a leader on preventing foreign adversaries, namely China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, from owning land in America. Rounds first introduced the PASS Act to the Senate in August 2022 during the 117th Congress, with Representative Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) leading companion legislation in the House. The PASS Act has received wide support throughout the state and is endorsed by the South Dakota Corn Growers Association (SDCGA), South Dakota Farmers Union (SDFU), South Dakota Farm Bureau Federation (SDFBF), South Dakota Dairy Producers (SDDP), South Dakota Soybean Association (SDSA), South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA), R-CALF USA and South Dakota Pork Producers Council (SDPPC).
In February 2023, Rounds reintroduced the PASS Act in the 118th Congress. The Senate Armed Services passed an amendment offered by Rounds as part of their committee version of the National Defense Authorization Act which would have banned entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing farmland or agriculture businesses. Rounds reintroduced the PASS Act in the 119th Congress in March 2025.
In October 2023, Rounds introduced the Protect Our Bases Act. This legislation would have made certain the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States can review foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence and national laboratory sites by requiring member agencies to annually update and review their lists of these sites. This legislation was reintroduced in June 2025.
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