H.R. 212 – Protecting our Land Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 1:53 AM UTC

The Protecting our Land Act would bar foreign adversaries, state sponsors of terrorism, and their agents or affiliates from buying any public or private real estate in the United States and its territories. It requires the President to have federal agencies issue rules to enforce the ban. The law defines who counts as a foreign adversary and a state sponsor of terrorism, and it applies to all land in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.

Key Provisions

The President must direct federal departments and agencies to create regulations that prohibit purchase of public or private real estate by foreign adversaries, state sponsors of terrorism, their agents, instrumentality, or affiliated persons.
Defines "foreign adversary" as any foreign government or non‑government person engaged in a long‑term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to U.S. national security or the safety of U.S. persons.
Defines "state sponsor of terrorism" as a country determined by the Secretary of State to have repeatedly provided support for international terrorism under existing statutes.
The prohibition applies to real estate located in all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and any other U.S. territory or possession.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

January 9, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 9, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Foreign Affairs Committee

January 9, 2023

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 212 on the floor

1 Democrat

Rep. David J. TroneD-MD-6 · Jan 25, 2023

Madam Speaker, I hereby remove my name as cosponsor of H.R. 212, the Protecting our Land Act.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 9, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 212

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 9, 2023

Mr. Steube (for himself and Mr. Mills) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

A BILL

To prohibit the purchase of public or private real estate located in the United States by foreign adversaries and state sponsors of terrorism.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protecting our Land Act.

2.

Prohibition on purchase of public or private real estate located in the United States by foreign adversaries and state sponsors of terrorism

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President shall direct the heads of the Federal departments and agencies to promulgate rules and regulations to prohibit the purchase of public or private real estate located in the United States by a foreign adversary, a state sponsor of terrorism, any agent or instrumentality of a foreign adversary or a state sponsor of terrorism, or any person owned or controlled by, or affiliated with, a foreign adversary or a state sponsor of terrorism.

(b)

Definitions

In this section—

(1)

the term foreign adversary means any foreign government or foreign nongovernment person engaged in a long-term pattern or serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or security and safety of United States persons;

(2)

the term state sponsor of terrorism means a country the government of which the Secretary of State determines has repeatedly provided support for international terrorism pursuant to—

(A)

section 1754(c)(1)(A) of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4318(c)(1)(A));

(B)

section 620A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371);

(C)

section 40 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780); or

(D)

any other provision of law; and

(3)

the term “United States” means the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.