On Wednesday (May 6), the House Appropriations Committee of the United States advanced a critical national security measure. In a funding bill that was approved for consideration, the core provisions of the “Strategic Assets Protection Act” were included, requiring enhanced scrutiny of real estate, businesses, and infrastructure transactions surrounding the U.S. military’s “Nuclear Triad” facilities to counter the increasing infiltration and threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The essence of this legislation lies in its first-time requirement for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to conduct retroactive national security reviews of past transactions. According to the bill, CFIUS will review all transactions involving real estate, businesses, and critical infrastructure surrounding U.S. “Nuclear Triad” facilities since January 1, 2017.
The U.S. military’s “Nuclear Triad” includes land-based intercontinental ballistic missile facilities, ballistic missile submarine bases, strategic bomber bases, and related nuclear command, control, and communication infrastructure, which are considered the core of the U.S. nuclear deterrence system.
The core provisions of the “Strategic Assets Protection Act” have already been incorporated into the “Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act” for the fiscal year 2027.
Congressman Mark Alford, who spearheaded this legislation, emphasized that this action is to ensure the security of the most sensitive military facilities in the United States.
Alford stated in a release, “National security of the United States is non-negotiable. For years, foreign adversaries, including the CCP, have been acquiring businesses and properties near sensitive national security facilities with impunity. This situation must come to an end.”
He further expressed that the inclusion of these provisions is “a crucial step in protecting the crown jewel of America’s deterrence power—the Nuclear Triad.”
This legislation directly addresses several acquisition cases in recent years that have raised national security concerns.
Reports have indicated that shell companies allegedly affiliated with the CCP have purchased a trailer park near the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, the home of the B-2 stealth bomber.
Two golf clubs near the Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana are also suspected to be owned by individuals associated with the CCP, sparking concerns. The base is the headquarters of the Air Force Global Strike Command and a major home for the U.S. military’s B-52 “Stratofortress” strategic bomber.
To ensure that CFIUS has the capability to carry out these additional review tasks, the funding bill plans to allocate an additional $22 million to the committee. This funding will enable the committee to have sufficient resources to conduct rigorous reviews of high-risk transactions without compromising its existing responsibilities.
Currently, the bill has passed committee deliberation and will proceed to subsequent legislative processes. Alford stressed that the Nuclear Triad is the cornerstone of U.S. defense and must not be exposed to risk without adequate protection.
“The inclusion of these provisions is a victory for common-sense national security. It demonstrates that Congress is taking seriously the generational challenge posed by the CCP and is committed to protecting the strategic assets that ensure the safety of the American people,” he said. “While the legislative process is ongoing, I will continue to ensure that these provisions are formally enacted.”