The Texas House Select Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations held its first hearing last week, taking testimony from various experts and industry leaders on the threats Texas faces from adversaries abroad.
Although much of the testimony focused on the threats posed by China and the Chinese Communist Party, other hostile foreign governments, including those in Russia, Iran, and North Korea, were also mentioned.
Chaired by Republican State Representative Cole Hefner, the committee plans to meet multiple times and prepare a report in advance of the next legislative session—work that Hefner hopes will lay the groundwork for effective legislation to address these threats.
Christopher Holton, Director of State Outreach for the Washington, DC-based Center for Security Policy, testified before the committee and applauded Texas House leaders for their “national leadership.”
“I believe it is vital to begin by thanking the Texas House of Representatives and the members of
this committee for the national leadership you’re demonstrating on this multifaceted national security issue. Texas is very often setting the pace for the rest of America, and a thorough and, thoughtful, and reasoned approach to the issue of foreign adversaries occupying, owning, and controlling land and other real property in Texas- including land in close proximity to military bases and installations and critical infrastructure- should serve as an example and inspiration to states from coast to coast,” said Holton.
Mickey Edwards, a Lampasas rancher who serves on the Texas Farm Bureau Board of Directors, underscored the need to ensure that Texas was protected from threats posed by foreign adversaries while also ensuring that private property rights were protected. “The threat of foreign adversaries getting control of ag land and land near critical resources is a real concern,” said Edwards. “The United States government must protect its citizens and land from foreign entities that might pose a threat. The State of Texas also has a vested interest in protecting our state lands and resources from potential threats.”
Hefner told The Texas Voice that he was proud of the committee’s work and expected legislation to address the threats it identified.
“I’m proud of the way the House is looking into this. We’re working with members of the committee. We’re working with subject matter experts on properly identifying real threats and weaknesses and then working to come up with strong, effective solutions to eliminate those threats and weaknesses. This is going to be a multi-hearing project over this fall to help us formulate our committee report,” said Hefner.
“Then hopefully, out of that report will come good ideas for some legislation that properly define the threats, identify them, define them, and then eliminate and mitigate those threats to our state. It could be threats to our food supply chain, cybersecurity, intellectual property, or critical infrastructure. There’s just a myriad of issues that need to be covered. It’s much broader than just agricultural land. I think the approach we’re taking is we’re transparent. We’re getting a lot of different feedback and information from different sources to make sure we get to the right place while protecting private property rights and commerce.”
State Representative Cody Harris, a committee member, expressed confidence in the committee’s work. In a tweet posted after the hearing, Harris wrote, “This was one of the most informative hearings I’ve ever participated in. Last session, I thought foreign ownership of land was the only real threat. It’s clear after today’s hearing that it’s just the tip of the iceberg and Texas has a lot of work to do. I’m confident that the Texas Legislature can get it done. We will not allow the CCP to win.”Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan created the House Select Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations earlier this year. Before the committee’s hearing, Phelan tweeted, “The House Select Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations is meeting today to study the multifront threat posed by these groups on our economy, security and values. As hostile organizations like the Chinese Communist Party seek to replace America as a leading global power, states like Texas must be an active part of the solution. I created this select committee to ensure lawmakers are fully aware of the many dangers posed by hostile foreign organizations like the CCP so we can effectively safeguard Texas and our way of life. Thank you Chairman @ColeHefnerTX for leading this important discussion.”
