A proposed bill could see storefronts linked to hostile nations barred from US military bases, as maneuvers to protect national security gain momentum.
Key Takeaways
- Rep. Pat Harrigan’s proposal aims to ban stores owned by China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea from US military bases.
- The legislation seeks to terminate existing contracts with businesses that misrepresent foreign ownership.
- A national security review would be mandatory for retailers with foreign ties on bases.
- The bill would ensure new contracts include transparency and oversight.
- Harrigan identifies GNC’s Chinese ownership as a potential security threat.
Proposal Details and Implications
US Representative Pat Harrigan has introduced a proposal to prevent foreign adversaries from owning or operating storefronts on American military bases. The bill is particularly concerned with retailers connected to China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran, nations identified as potential threats to US security. Companies that hide foreign ownership risk losing contracts under this new proposal.
The legislation would bar new military base retail agreements unless they meet stringent standards for transparency and oversight. Harrigan spotlighted GNC, a supplement retailer, stating it is fully owned by China’s Harbin Pharmaceutical Group. Despite being under Chinese control, GNC’s operations are currently exempt from federal contracting standards.
Proposal: American military base retailers would exclude 4 hostile nations #news https://t.co/6lw5BKvvju via @thecentersquare
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Security Concerns Addressed
Concerns raised by lawmakers suggest an urgent need to reassess the security of military installations. Among the proposed actions, Harrigan’s bill seeks a thorough national security review for all retailers on military bases with foreign connections. This would close loopholes allowing adversarial presence within sensitive environments.
A case illustrating this concern involves GNC. Originally a family-owned business from Pittsburgh, GNC was acquired by China’s Harbin Pharmaceutical Group. Since then, doubts have surrounded its operations on US military installations. Although the company has insisted that its “Chinese ownership sees no personal information” and that it has been completely transparent with the US, lawmakers have expressed concerns about potential national security risks.
“Right now, a company owned by the Chinese Communist Party is operating over 80 stores on American military bases. These stores are in a position to collect personal data from our troops, operate with almost no oversight, and answer directly to a hostile foreign government. That’s not just reckless, it’s a national security threat.” Harrigan said in a statement.
According to Harrigan, exposure of personal data from military personnel to foreign governments remains a large risk. An inclusion in the bill mandates scrubbing all data collection access points from adversarial-operated bases, aiming to protect American troops from foreign surveillance.
Supporters of this legislation view it as a preventive measure to preserve national security. Congress’s actions could play a major role in determining the enactment and effectiveness of Harrigan’s proposed bill in enforcing stricter controls against foreign influences within US military infrastructure.
Sources
- Proposal: American military base retailers would exclude 4 hostile nations
- Bloomberg Government: Chinese-Owned GNC Draws Fire Over US Military Base Presence
- Congressman Harrigan Introduces Bill to Kick CCP-Controlled Retailers Off U.S. Military Bases
- American military base retailers would exclude 4 hostile nations under proposal
