Washington DC – U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Homeland Security Subcommittee, recently worked with colleagues to address two important issues: the growing ownership of foreign enemies. We have introduced important legislation aimed at addressing this issue. Destruction of America’s homeland and growing cyber threats to the nation’s vital agricultural sector.
In a statement, Senator Britt emphasized the important link between food security and national security. He identified the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as the most serious geopolitical and national security threat and emphasized the importance of protecting American farmland from adversaries to ensure a reliable food supply for generations. Emphasized gender.
The first bill introduced was the Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act, sponsored by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (New York). This bill focuses on strengthening cybersecurity measures for the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sectors. The key provisions of the Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act are:
1. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a biennial survey of cybersecurity threats to the agriculture and food sector.
2. Conduct annual cross-functional crisis simulation exercises for food-related cyber emergencies or disruptions, including coordination with relevant government agencies.
The legislation, supported by prominent organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Federation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, aims to strengthen the nation’s resilience to cyber threats to the agricultural industry.
Sen. Britt joins Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-Dak.) The state is co-sponsor of the farm. and the Food Cybersecurity Act.
In addition, Senator Bullitt introduced the Agriculture Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) Improvements Act of 2024, along with Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.). This bill aims to strengthen the functions of the Department of Agriculture. A process for combating foreign ownership of American farmland by adversaries. Key provisions of the AFIDA Improvement Act include:
1. Requires a Memorandum of Understanding between USDA and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) regarding data sharing.
2. Update USDA’s handbook for collecting AFIDA data.
3. Develop an online AFIDA submission system and public database with a clear implementation schedule.
Sen. Bullitt’s bipartisan effort on the AFIDA Improvements Act is supported by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), It has the support of Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) and Marco Rubio. (R-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Eric Schmidt (R-MO), and Todd Young (R-IN).