,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #fhd ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #g1 #bjbc,mr4 ,hawley introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to prohibit the acquisition and ownership of agricultural land by certain foreign entities1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,this ,land ,is ,our ,land ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,agricultural land 7,a7 ,in general ,the term agricultural land means-- 7i7 land used for farming1 ranching1 or timber production2 7ii7 land used for food processing2 and 7iii7 land that-- 7,i7 is currently idle2 and 7,,ii7 was used within the previous #e years for farming1 ranching1 or timber production4 7,b7 ,related definitions ,in subparagraph 7,a73 7i7 ,farming1 ranching1 or timber production ,the term farming1 ranching1 or timber production includes activities set forth in the ,standard ,industrial ,classification ,manual 7#aihg71 ,division ,a4 7ii7 ,food processing ,the term food processing includes activities set forth in the ,standard ,industrial ,classification ,manual 7#aihg71 ,division ,d1 ,major ,group #bj4 7#b7 ,covered foreign entity ,the term covered foreign entity means-- 7,a7 a corporation that is incorporated in the ,people's ,republic of ,china1 including the ,special ,administrative ,regions of ,china1 including ,hong ,kong and ,macau2 7,b7 a person1 business trust1 business association1 company1 institution1 government agency1 university1 partnership1 limited liability company1 corporation1 or any other individual or organization that can legally enter into contracts1 own properties1 or pay taxes on behalf of the ,government of the ,people's ,republic of ,china2 7,c7 an individual or organization affiliated with the ,chinese ,communist ,party2 7,d7 an entity owned or controlled by1 or that performs activities on behalf of1 an individual1 organization1 or person described in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c72 and 7,e7 an individual that is a member of the board of directors1 an executive officer1 or a senior official of a corporation or organization described in subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 7,c71 or 7,d74 7#c7 ,noncompete agreement ,the term noncompete agreement means an agreement entered into between an employer and an employee that restricts that employee from performing1 after the employment relationship between the employer and the employee terminates1 any of the following3 7,a7 ,any work for another employer for a specified period of time4 7,b7 ,any work in a specified geographical area4 7,c7 ,any work for another employer that is similar to that employee's work for the employer that is a party to that agreement4 7#d7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 7#e7 ,state ,the term ,state means each of the several ,states of the ,united ,states4 7#f7 ,territory ,the term territory means-- 7,a7 the ,district of ,columbia2 7,b7 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico2 7,c7 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands2 7,d7 ,guam2 7,e7 the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands2 and 7,f7 ,american ,samoa4 7#g7 ,united ,states agricultural land ,the term ,united ,states agricultural land means agricultural land located in a ,state or territory4 #c4 ,prohibition of acquisition1 leasing1 or ownership of ,united ,states agricultural land by covered foreign entities 7a7 ,prohibition of acquisition of agricultural land ,it shall be unlawful for a covered foreign entity-- 7#a7 to acquire any interest in ,united ,states agricultural land2 or 7#b7 to lease any interest in ,united ,states agricultural land4 7b7 ,divestment requirement 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 a covered foreign entity that owns or leases an interest in ,united ,states agricultural land shall divest itself from any ownership or lease interests in ,united ,states agricultural land4 7#b7 ,letters of intent ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 a covered foreign entity that owns or leases an interest in ,united ,states agricultural land shall sign a letter of intent to divest itself from any ownership or lease interests in ,united ,states agricultural land4 7c7 ,penalty ,the ,secretary shall fine a covered foreign entity that owns or leases an interest in ,united ,states agricultural land in violation of subsection 7a7 or 7b7 in an amount equal to #ajj per acre per day that the covered entity owns or leases the interest in violation of subsection 7a7 or 7b74 7d7 ,criminal enforcement 7#a7 ,penalties ,a covered foreign entity that violates subsection 7a7 or 7b7 shall be fined under title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 imprisoned for not more than #e years1 or both4 7#b7 ,forfeiture 7,a7 ,in general ,in an action brought by the ,attorney ,general1 any ,united ,states agricultural land owned in violation of subsection 7a7 or 7b7 shall be subject to forfeiture to the ,united ,states in accordance with chapter #df of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code4 7,b7 ,public auction of forfeited land ,notwithstanding section #iha7;e7 of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 the ,attorney ,general shall sell through a public auction any ,united ,states agricultural land that is forfeited to the ,united ,states under this paragraph4 7e7 ,nullification of agreements ,notwithstanding any other provision of law1 any noncompete agreement entered into between a covered foreign entity that owns or leases an interest in ,united ,states agricultural land and an employee of the covered foreign entity shall have no force or effect4 7f7 ,implementation 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary1 in coordination with the ,attorney ,general1 shall issue guidance and regulations to implement this ,act4 7#b7 ,office ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall establish an office within the ,department of ,agriculture for the purpose of-- 7,a7 monitoring compliance with this ,act2 and 7,b7 imposing fines under subsection 7c74 7g7 ,investigative actions ,the ,secretary may carry out such actions as the ,secretary determines to be necessary to monitor compliance with this ,act4