Duval Times

Today in Washington, D.C., a new legislative measure, the Military Installation Retail Security Act, was introduced to prevent foreign adversary-owned companies from operating retail businesses on U.S. military bases. Senators Rick Scott, Ted Budd, and Tom Cotton presented the bill with the objective to eliminate security risks from foreign entities like Communist China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea conducting business within U.S. military installations.

The bill seeks to restrict the Department of Defense from entering or extending long-term agreements with these foreign-controlled companies. Additionally, it mandates an exhaustive review of all retail businesses on military installations to ensure no associations with hostile governments exist. Congressman Pat Harrigan is taking the lead in the House on this effort.

Senator Rick Scott highlighted the security threat posed by foreign adversaries, stating, "Allowing companies controlled by our biggest foreign adversaries – like Communist China, Russia, and North Korea - to operate on U.S. military bases is a completely unacceptable threat to our national security that risks an enemy gaining sensitive personal and military data. The Military Installation Retail Security Act will close the loopholes that allow these bad actors to gain footholds within our military communities, ensuring that our military bases remain secure, and that foreign enemies aren’t profiting off our service members and their families. This should be common sense, and I urge my colleagues to support its quick passage."

Senator Ted Budd emphasized the significance of maintaining military readiness, commenting, "Our military readiness depends upon security and surveillance. Adversarial nations have no place owning and operating businesses on U.S. military bases, all the while gaining personal identification information of American citizens, just to turn a profit. That is why I am proud to introduce the Military Installation Retail Security Act, to close this loophole by taking targeted action to prevent malign actors from embedding themselves within our military communities where they can threaten our national security and exploit personal data."

Senator Tom Cotton added, “We shouldn’t be allowing Chinese-affiliated companies in the United States, let alone on our military bases. This bill will ensure our adversaries can’t exploit our military.”

Congressman Pat Harrigan revealed specific concerns about GNC, saying, “My team uncovered that GNC is fully owned by the Chinese Communist Party and operating more than 80 stores on U.S. military bases. That’s not just a problem; it’s a direct threat to our national security. We moved quickly to get a solution on the table and introduced the Military Installation Retail Security Act in the House. I’m glad to have Senator Budd step in to help drive this forward and make sure CCP-owned companies have zero place inside America’s military infrastructure.”

This legislative push appears poised to counter potential security threats by scrutinizing foreign influences within sensitive military environments.