[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 1, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H2398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 END CONDEMNATION WITHOUT COMPENSATION

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the 104th Congress will 
have the opportunity to right a fundamental wrong occurring every day 
across America. It is called condemnation without compensation.
  If the Government wants to put a highway in your front yard, it has 
to pay you compensation for using your property. That is only fair.
  If the Government wants to impose a regulation converting private 
land into a wildlife sanctuary or a wetlands preserve, it should also 
have to pay you fair compensation. In both cases, the private property 
owner is being asked to sacrifice his land for the public good. It 
would not be fair to force the unfortunate landowner to shoulder the 
entire burden.
  Too often today, that is just what happens--American families, 
farmers, and businessowners are stripped of private property by 
Government regulations. But, unlike with condemnation, these forgotten 
Americans are never compensated.
  The Private Property Protection Act of 1995 would put an end to 
condemnation without compensation. I urge my colleagues to stand up for 
these forgotten Americans and support this legislation.




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