New Act Mandates Automatic Security Review for Foreign Land Purchases Near Military Bases

The Protecting Military Installations and Ranges Act of 2025 is essentially a major security upgrade for the land surrounding U.S. military sites. The core change is simple: it dramatically expands the scope and power of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to scrutinize real estate deals involving entities tied to four specific adversarial governments—Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.

The 100-Mile Rule: Who Gets Flagged?

If a foreign person connected to one of those four countries tries to buy or lease public or private land, the deal now automatically becomes a “covered transaction” requiring mandatory CFIUS review if the property is located near sensitive military zones. How close is "near"? The bill defines it broadly: within 100 miles of a military installation, within 50 miles of a military training route, or near special use airspace managed by the Department of Defense (DoD). This means that if a Chinese-backed firm tries to lease a warehouse 90 miles from a major Air Force base, CFIUS has to stop what it's doing and launch a full national security investigation. This isn't optional; the bill makes the review unilateral and mandatory (SEC. 2).

For the real estate sector and local developers near military towns, this changes the game. While the intent is clearly national security, it introduces a new layer of complexity. Any transaction involving a buyer from one of the four named countries within that 100-mile radius is now subject to a federal security review, which can mean significant delays and uncertainty. On the transparency front, CFIUS must now notify the Senators and Representative for the area when one of these reviews is launched, giving local officials a heads-up on sensitive land deals in their districts (SEC. 2).

Energy Projects Hit the Brakes

Section 3 of the Act introduces a major regulatory roadblock for energy projects that require approval from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and sit on land that is simultaneously under CFIUS investigation. Think about a new solar farm or transmission line planned on a large tract of land. If the purchase or lease of that land triggers a CFIUS review because the seller is a foreign entity, the entire project review process slams to a halt.

Specifically, the Secretary of Defense (DoD) must pause their national security review of the energy project until CFIUS finishes its investigation of the land deal itself (SEC. 3). The DOT is also blocked from giving final approval for the construction until CFIUS concludes its review and the DoD makes a determination. If CFIUS finds the land deal poses a national security threat and refers it to the President, the DoD Secretary must then declare that the energy project itself poses an "unacceptable risk to national security" to the DOT.

This mandatory pause mechanism is a huge deal for energy developers. It links the fate of a multi-million-dollar energy project directly to the outcome of a separate, complex national security investigation over the land ownership. Even if the energy project itself is completely benign, the mandatory delay could cause massive scheduling and financial headaches, potentially leading to the cancellation of infrastructure projects due to regulatory uncertainty and prolonged timelines.