Committee of 100 Voices its Support for the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act

New York, NY (May 26, 2023) — Committee of 100, a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, today issued the following statement in strong support of the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act, a bill that preempts states from enacting laws that prohibit real estate purchases on citizenship and race. Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep. Al Green (D-TX) introduced the legislation in the house yesterday.

Committee of 100 has been an outspoken and vocal critic of bills introduced by state legislators across the country, most recently in Texas and Florida, that prohibit the purchase of land based on national origin, specifically individuals who hold citizenship in the People’s Republic of China, even if they are long-time residents of the U.S.

Committee of 100 believes that if such restrictions become law, they will make it difficult, if not impossible, for individuals in the U.S. on long-term visas to purchase a home and are likely to lead to direct discrimination against any individuals of Chinese American or AAPI descent.

The Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act would move this issue from a state decision to a federal decision.

“Committee of 100 has strongly opposed the bills in Texas and Florida on the foundation that they are discriminatory, xenophobic, and un-American,” said Zheng Huang, President of Committee of 100. “There are legitimate national security concerns related to foreign ownership of critical infrastructure, but those decisions should be made at the federal level where the government is more equipped to determine national security and public safety. We at Committee of 100 strongly support the Preemption of Real Property Discrimination Act and commend Rep. Chu and Rep. Green for taking up this critical issue.”