Lucas Fights for Private Property Rights

LUCAS FIGHTS FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS
September 7, 2005

Supports Bill to Reduce Property Seizures by Eminent Domain

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Third District Congressman Frank Lucas expressed his opposition to a recent Supreme Court ruling that expands eminent domain seizures of private property. He participated in a House Agriculture hearing on the issue today, and gave his support to legislation that will cut off federal funding to local and state projects where these new eminent domain powers are abused.

"This Supreme Court ruling is nothing less than an attack on our Fifth Amendment right to prevent property seizures unless they are for public use," Lucas said. "This ruling sets a dangerous precedent that should concern every American who owns a home or farm."

In June, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Kelo v. City of New London that a government may take private property from an individual and transmit it to another private entity under the guise of "economic development" purposes, such as increasing local tax revenues or local jobs.

"This jaw-dropping decision by the high court puts our private property at the mercy of city planners who may not think much of your home or farm, but think setting up an apartment building or shopping mall would be better suited on your land," Lucas said. "I rarely see issues that bring together such diverse Members of Congress and public interest groups from both the left and the right. We're all in agreement at the absurdity of this court decision."

In a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee today, Lucas heard from witnesses in opposition to the court ruling, including representatives of the American Farm Bureau, the Property Rights Foundation, the Forest Landowners Association, the Institute for Justice, and the CATO Institute, as well as Republican and Democrat sponsors of the legislation to mitigate the effects of the Supreme Court decision.

The legislation which Lucas has co-sponsored is H.R. 3405, the Strengthening The Ownership of Private Property Act, or STOPP Act of 2005. It would prevent federal economic development funding for local and state projects where eminent domain powers are abused by taking private property from one private party for economic development and giving it to other private individuals. The legislation also makes state and local governments subject to the Uniform Relocation Act, which would require state and local governments to pay relocation costs for individuals affected by these types of eminent domain abuses.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ok03_lucas/propertyrights.html