FreedomWorks Joins 75 Organizations in Call for Eminent Domain Reform in Senate

WASHINGTON — Yesterday, a letter signed by seventy-five organizations and policy leaders from across the country was sent to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) requesting that the Senate advance legislation upon return in November to limit the ability of states and localities to abuse eminent domain. The coalition was organized by www.propertyrightsalliance.org.

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) introduced S. 3873, the “Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2006” as the Senate means to address the Kelo v. City of New London, CT court case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2005. As the companion legislation to the bipartisan H.R. 4128 passed in the House last November, S. 3873 similarly seeks to curb eminent domain abuse by withholding federal economic development funds from states and localities that engage in these abusive practices. Since passage, H.R. 4128 has mired in the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA).