Congressman Flake Applauds Passage of Private Property Rights Protection Act
Flake-Authored Amendments Included
Washington, D.C. - Arizona Congressman Jeff Flake, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, today applauded the House of Representatives for passing the Private Property Rights Protection Act (H.R. 4128).
In respond to the Supreme Court's decision on Kelo v. City of New London, the House drafted H.R. 4128, which prevents federal funds from being distributed to states and localities that use eminent domain for economic development purposes.
"The Supreme Court has ruled that local governments have broad power to exercise eminent domain," said Flake. "However, withholding federal funds is a very powerful tool that the federal government can use to ensure that local governments aren't abusing their power."
Congressman Flake authored two amendments that were attached to the bill during its consideration by the House Judiciary Committee. The first amendment ensured that states or localities could not funnel federal funds through a third party in order to usurp the intent of the bill.
The second amendment was a Sense of the Congress that stated that "it is the policy of the United States to encourage, support, and promote the private ownership of property and to ensure that the constitutional and other legal rights of private property owners are protected by the federal government."
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/az06_flake/051103property.html