On Wednesday’s broadcast of Newsmax TV’s “On the Record,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) reacted to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) ruling that it doesn’t have jurisdiction over the proposed corn milling plant by a Chinese company in Grand Forks, ND that is in proximity to Grand Forks Air Force Base by stating that CFIUS should be given broader jurisdiction, it’s ridiculous that CFIUS debated its decision for months before punting, and arguing that Chinese investment is not “worth putting the entire country at risk.”
Cramer said, “I’ve come to expect so little from the federal government. but even at that standard, this was underwhelming, to say the least, that they would sit on this decision for…a couple of months, maybe close to three months and then conclude they didn’t have jurisdiction, which some DOJ lawyer probably told them and could have told them in a matter of hours. It is disappointing. That said, Greta, I’ve always been opposed to this investment. I remain opposed to this investment. I’m seeking intelligence briefings next week from the various agencies that make up CFIUS. And I will be able to get classified briefings directly from hopefully, the Department of Defense, certainly, the Department of Treasury, who leads the CFIUS committee and try to learn more myself. But, at the end of the day, I think the security concerns are obvious.”
He added, “I think that, for a lot of people, there’s an evolution of thought on China that is happening and it’s appropriate that it is happening. I’ve called for a strategic decoupling from China now for the last 10 months, at least, I just think that we are living in a time, Greta, when us as individuals, as families, as communities, as states, and as a nation have to decide whether the fun, cheap stuff that China provides us or, for that matter, the large investments that they can provide our communities, if it’s worth putting the entire country at risk. I choose to say it is not, and I think we have to take more action that demonstrates that we’re going to stand up for American security and independence at a time when China is rivaling us in so many respects economically as well as militarily, and we just need to be a lot more diligent.”
Cramer further stated that CFIUS should be given jurisdiction over the food supply chain.
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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