Chambana Sun

Mary Miller, who represents Illinois' 15th Congressional District, expressed her support for Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins' actions to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from acquiring U.S. farmland. "Hostile foreign powers should never be allowed to control critical American assets like our food production," Miller said in a Facebook post on February 18.

"I applaud Secretary Rollins for taking action to stop the Chinese Communist Party from buying up our prime farm ground," said Miller, U.S. Representative, according to Facebook. "Hostile foreign powers should never be allowed to control critical American assets like our food production!"

The Facebook post referred to an article from Breitbart featuring Secretary Rollins. According to Rollins, the Trump administration is exploring methods to block China from purchasing American farmland. She credited President Trump for his foresight on the China issue, noting that he was among the few who initially recognized China as a significant threat when he entered politics. Rollins mentioned that before meeting Trump, discussions about China were limited, and he introduced a new perspective on prioritizing America.

Screenshot of U.S. Rep. Mary Miller's Feb. 18 Facebook post. | U.S. Rep. Mary Miller's Facebook page

According to Voices of America (VOA), as of February 19, 36 bills have been passed to restrict property ownership by foreign entities, with 16 specifically targeting Chinese citizens regarding certain types of property ownership. The VOA cited data from the USDA Farm Service Agency indicating that China holds less than 1% of foreign-held farmland in the U.S., while Canada holds 33%, and the Netherlands holds 11%. Together, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany account for 28% of foreign-held farmland in the U.S.

This week, former President Trump signed a memorandum limiting Chinese investment in specific sectors such as farming and food supplies due to potential national security risks. The Washington Times reported that this memorandum directs the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to restrict China's ability to invest in American companies.

Mary Miller succeeded John Shimkus in representing Illinois' 15th Congressional District in Congress since 2021. Born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1959 and holding a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Illinois University, she resides with her husband in Oakland, Illinois. They manage their fourth-generation family farm. Miller is also noted as a mother of seven children and grandmother to twenty grandchildren.