WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today joined Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and 10 colleagues in introducing the Protect Our Bases Act, which would strengthen the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States’ (CFIUS) ability to review foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence and national laboratory sites by requiring member agencies to annually update and review their lists of these sites.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s land buildup near our most critical military and government facilities poses a grave threat to our national security. The Protect Our Bases Act would help safeguard our nation and fight back against Communist China’s spying on American soil,” said Kennedy.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s efforts to infiltrate and surveil all parts of the U.S. national security apparatus requires vigilance from our national security agencies. This legislation will enhance the review of foreign real estate transactions near critical national security installations, helping ensure CFIUS has the information it needs to protect our homeland and keep our nation safe,” said Scott.

Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) also cosponsored the bill.

Background: 

• In 2022, Fufeng Group, a Chinese company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, announced it would purchase land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota. 

• CFIUS determined that it could not evaluate the transaction for national security risks because the Department of Defense had not listed the base as a sensitive area for national security purposes.

• Although the City of Grand Forks ultimately blocked the transaction, this incident demonstrated a serious flaw in the review process of foreign land purchases.

The Protect Our Bases Act would:

• require agencies represented on CFIUS to provide CFIUS with records of the military, intelligence and national laboratory facilities that should be considered sensitive areas for national security purposes annually.

• require CFIUS to submit an annual report to Congress certifying the completion of these reviews and detailing the accuracy of its real estate listings.

Full text of the Protect Our Bases Act is available here.

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging his department to work with its partners to prevent unsafe foreign shrimp from reaching American consumers.

While U.S. shrimp manufacturers comply with bans on antibiotic use and numerous environmental regulations, not all shrimp producers in countries like India, Ecuador, Indonesia and Vietnam abide by the same standards. A recent decline in transparency among members of the foreign shrimp industry has raised further concerns.

“I write to express my concern regarding the ongoing public health risk posed by the importation of farmed shrimp into the United States. In 2021, the United States imported approximately 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp, accounting for over 90% of the nation’s consumption,” Kennedy began the letter.

“A growing body of academic research and investigative reporting indicate that imported shrimp frequently contain illicit antibiotics and harbor antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. One of the most prevalent risks associated with warm-water shrimp aquaculture is antibiotic use, which poses significant health threats related to potential parasitic infection along with disease outbreaks,” the senator explained.

“Fortunately, President Trump is taking action. On April 17, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which strengthens the domestic seafood industry and addresses the need to eliminate unsafe imports, promote ethical seafood sourcing, and level the playing field for domestic seafood producers,” Kennedy added. 

“In light of the President's executive order and the ongoing health risks posed by imported seafood, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant agencies to strengthen inspection capabilities and stop this harmful seafood from being sold domestically,” he wrote.

Background: 

• In Dec. 2023, Kennedy introduced a bill to bolster the Seafood Import Monitoring Program’s ability to audit foreign seafood imports that its producers misrepresent. Senate Democrats blocked Kennedy’s bill.

• In May 2024, Kennedy questioned then-Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on safety risks associated with imported shrimp and crawfish, drawing attention to foreign countries that subsidize their seafood industries and engage in false advertising.

The full letter is available here.

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, today joined Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and seven Republican colleagues in sending a letter to acting Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator David Richardson urging the agency to end the Biden administration’s failed Risk Rating 2.0 program.

Under Risk Rating 2.0, an estimated 80 percent of Louisiana National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders experienced monthly flood insurance premium increases in 2025.

“Since the Biden Administration’s rollout of Risk Rating 2.0, premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) increased in every state. By FEMA’s own estimates, 77 percent of all NFIP policies now pay more than under the old system,” the senators wrote.

“The lack of transparency surrounding Risk Rating 2.0 is beyond troubling. FEMA has never allowed for meaningful public comment nor has it published the underlying data or assumptions used to justify the steep premium increases and refuses to disclose its actuarial model. Without transparency, communities cannot plan mitigation projects, lenders cannot accurately underwrite mortgages, and citizens cannot appeal punitive rate increases. Worse still, rising costs encourage policy lapses—shifting risk back to taxpayers when disasters strike,” they continued.

“Each month that Risk Rating 2.0 continues unchecked, more families are forced to abandon their insurance coverage, neighborhoods face economic strain, and entire communities risk collapse after the next disaster,” the lawmakers added. 

Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) also joined the letter.

Background:

• In 2023, Kennedy introduced the Risk Rating 2.0 Transparency Act, which would require FEMA to publish an explanation of how the agency is determining flood insurance prices under Risk Rating 2.0. 

• In 2023, Kennedy also introduced the Flood Insurance Affordability Act, which would cap annual flood insurance premium increases.

• In 2024, Kennedy spoke in the Senate Banking Committee about FEMA’s dishonesty concerning the Risk Rating 2.0 program, noting that the agency “said a million people of the 5 million people [who hold NFIP policies] will see their rates go down. I haven't talked to a single person who's seen their rates go down.”

The full letter is available here.

WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $2,390,437 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana flood mitigation.

“Floods have brought untold pain and suffering to the people of Louisiana, and our communities are working hard to avert future flooding. This $2.4 million will help Jefferson and Bossier Parishes floodproof their communities and prevent costly damage in the years ahead,” said Kennedy.

The FEMA aid will fund the following:

• $1,202,160 to Jefferson Parish for the elevation of four flood-prone structures. 

• $1,128,189 for Bossier Parish to reduce flooding in the Lucky Estates subdivision by improving drainage with new culverts, storm drainpipes and barriers, along with road work, excavation and landscaping. 

• $60,088 to Jefferson Parish for management costs associated with structure elevation.