Concerns over tighter scrutiny of investments

A bill that would tighten scrutiny of foreign investment in the United States could end up backlogging the panel responsible for the reviews and also disrupt financial deals, according to some elected officials and business experts.

The Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act, or FIRRMA, was introduced last year in both the Senate and House in response to increased foreign investment in potentially sensitive sectors, in particular from countries such as China and Russia.

It will greatly expand the scope and power of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, an interagency committee, by covering a wider range of transactions involving foreign investment.