[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 94 (Tuesday, July 18, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H5284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       STOP EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE

  (Mrs. KELLY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, last year in the wake of the Supreme Court's 
Kelo v. New London decision, House Republicans drafted and passed 
legislation to better protect private property owners from eminent 
domain.
  Today I rise seeking support for my effort to stop the potential for 
eminent domain abuse brought forth by last year's energy bill.
  Permit holders now have the ability to petition U.S. District Court 
for authority to use eminent domain to construct power lines. This 
gives eminent domain power not to an accountable government agency, but 
rather to private companies.
  In my Hudson Valley district, a company has a disruptive and damaging 
plan to place a power line from central New York all of the way to New 
Windsor, in spite of objections from numerous municipalities in its 
path.
  Eminent domain is a tool that will likely be sought to advance this 
widely opposed plan. To end this threat, I am introducing a bill called 
the Protecting Communities from Power Line Abuse Act.
  Let's value our constituents' rights to personal property. Cosponsor 
my bill and prevent efforts to abuse eminent domain and undermine our 
local communities.

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