TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – State Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant) is back in East Texas after traveling to Washington D.C. to meet with experts on hostile foreign threats. Hefner said the meetings were organized by U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Tyler.)

“We hear everybody talk about the adversarial foreign countries or foreign agents owning our agricultural land,” Hefner said. “And that’s a big deal and an important issue, but it’s much bigger than that.”

Hefner is the chair of a new Texas House committee focused on securing Texas from hostile foreign threats. The House Select Committee on Securing Texas from Hostile Foreign Organizations will assess the threat posed to the state’s economy and security by “hostile foreign organizations,” with a focus on protecting the real and intellectual property rights of Texans.

“We don’t want to do something that just sounds good and grabs the headlines,” Hefner said. “We want to do stuff that actually has an effect and actually accomplishes what we’re after here.”

Hefner admits there is a fine line to toe when it comes to protecting the state while also respecting and protecting individual and business rights. A point echoed by committee member State Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine.)

“There’s a lot of good people in this country who might unintentionally fall under some category and prevent them from buying real estate,” Harris said. “And I think we need to make sure that that doesn’t happen.”

In the March primary election, an overwhelming majority of Republican voters said Texas should ban the sale of land to citizens, governments, and entities from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

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