US House Bill Aims to Combat State Bans on Chinese Property Ownership

A House Democrat introduced a bill allowing people to sue in federal court if their right to buy land was restricted because of their citizenship. Many states have enacted or considered such laws, often aimed at China and prompted by worries about foreign ownership of farmland or national security. The bill would give federal law precedence over state laws that restrict who can buy real property “based on the citizenship of the purchaser.” It would also allow people harmed by such state laws to sue in federal court and have a right to court-ordered relief, like an injunction.