New York, NY (February 7, 2023) — Committee of 100, a non-profit organization of prominent Chinese Americans, released a statement today strongly objecting to Senate Bill 147 in Texas, a bill that would ban citizens, governments and entities from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from purchasing land in Texas. The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and the Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in property transactions based on an individual’s characteristics, including their national origin.
“Committee of 100 strongly opposes Texas Senate Bill 147 on the grounds that it is discriminatory, xenophobic and unconstitutional to those in the U.S. of Chinese backgrounds,” said Zhengyu Huang, President of Committee of 100. “We respect that there are legitimate national security concerns related to foreign ownership of critical infrastructure, but that is not what this bill does. This bill is saying that those of Chinese backgrounds that come to the U.S. in pursuit of the American dream can’t buy a house for their families. The current environment in the U.S. is clouded by anti-Asian tropes, xenophobia and violence, and this proposed law further fuels that hate and division.”
Committee of 100 is a non-profit, U.S.-based membership organization of prominent Chinese Americans founded more than 30 years in part by renowned architect I.M Pei and Dr. Henry Kissinger. Many of Committee of 100’s Members are from the state of Texas.
About Committee of 100
Committee of 100 is a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts focused on public policy engagement, civic engagement, and philanthropy. For more than 30 years, Committee of 100 has served as a preeminent organization committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and Greater China. Visit https://www.committee100.org/ or follow Committee of 100 on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for more information.
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Contact
Charles Zinkowski
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
czinkowski@committee100.org
