Austin News

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement regarding the Department of the Treasury's announcement to expand the jurisdiction of the U.S. Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This expansion aims to include certain real estate investments by foreign entities, thereby protecting 59 additional military bases, including three in Texas.

"I am deeply concerned by the growing espionage threat to our military installations posed by our adversaries, particularly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," said Sen. Cruz. "These adversaries have increasingly been linked to real estate purchases near sensitive installations. The Department of the Treasury’s proposal is a step in the right direction and will strengthen protections for U.S. military bases, including those in Texas."

Sen. Cruz emphasized that while this new rule is beneficial, it does not fully address all espionage threats posed by entities such as the CCP and other adversaries. He highlighted his proposed legislation, the Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act, which would grant CFIUS jurisdiction to review real estate investments by entities from China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea within 100 miles of any Department of Defense installation in the U.S.

"I urge my colleagues to take up this legislation and pass it swiftly," he added.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States currently has jurisdiction over certain real estate investments within one mile of specific military installations listed in 31 CFR 802 Appendix A Part 1 or within 100 miles as listed in Part 2.

The new rule would enhance protections for four Texas military installations:

- Moving Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) from Appendix A Part 1 (1-mile jurisdiction) to Part 2 (100-mile jurisdiction),

- Adding Goodfellow Air Force Base (San Angelo, TX) to Part 2 (100-mile jurisdiction),

- Adding Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and Red River Army Depot (Texarkana, TX) to Part 1 (1-mile jurisdiction).

Sen. Cruz has consistently identified China as "the single greatest geopolitical threat of our time" and has worked extensively on issues related to Chinese aggression and support for dissidents.

In March 2024, he condemned China's increasing influence over Hong Kong and its attempts to undermine freedoms there.

In December 2023, he called for Jimmy Lai's release; Lai is a pro-democracy newspaper founder detained by China.

In February 2023, he introduced legislation restricting foreign nationals from countries like Russia and China from investing near U.S. defense sites.

He has also pushed for accountability regarding China's role in the COVID-19 pandemic and supported measures protecting Hong Kong's autonomy through various legislative efforts since at least 2019.

Sen. Cruz continues advocating for a reassessment of U.S.-China relations through numerous legislative initiatives aimed at reducing dependency on China.

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