Washington state Congressman Dan Newhouse wants to limit China’s purchases of U.S. farmland. He introduced an amendment to the ag appropriations bill that would also keep Chinese-owned ag land from qualifying for government programs.
He says the amendment had bipartisan support at first, but now some lawmakers fear it could spawn anti-Asian sentiment.
“I don’t see that being the case, myself. This is directed only at the communist government of the People’s Republic of China, not against Chinese individuals or Chinese nationals. I give the American public way more credit than that-- they can discern the difference between a government or an individual. I think Americans are much smarter than that,” Rep. Newhouse states.
The rules committee changed the language of the amendment to include Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
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Right now Chinese tariffs and buying U.S. farmland are the focal points for lawmakers