apc@governance.net wrote: From the American Policy Center
http://americanpolicy.org
PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTIONS MAY DIE IN SENATE
ACTION NEEDED NOW IN LAME DUCK SESSION
URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT
EMINENT DOMAIN PROTECTIONS WILL DIE WITHOUT IMMEDIATE ACTION
We have only one week to pass Eminent Domain reform to counter the Supreme Court's disastrous Kelo VS New London decision that said local communities could take private property for use by private developers. That decision means no property is safe anywhere, as long as the local government decides it can make more money by throwing property owners off their land.
Last year, the House of Representatives passed the Property Rights Protection Act (H.R. 4128) by a vote of 376-38. The bill would give Congress the power to discourage Eminent Domain abuse by withholding federal funds from any city that use Eminent Domain to seize property for private developers.
However, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has deliberately held up the Senate version of the Property Rights Protection Act (S.1313) in the Senate. Specter is acting in partnership with the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to kill the bill. They don't want to lose the eminent domain power over your home. Specter is playing a well-used game. He knows if he just holds on until Congress adjourns, the bill in both houses will die. We would have to start all over again in the Democrat-controlled congress next year.
Here's the good news. Senator James Inholf has introduced an identical bill (S.3837) to get around Senator Specter. This means there is still a chance to protect property rights before the Republicans lose control of Congress. Urgent. We must take action right now!
ACTION TO TAKE:
1. Call both of your State's U.S. Senators (no time to write) and urge them to support S.3837, The Property Rights Protection Act, sponsored by Senator Inholf. If this bill is not passed by the end of the Lame Duck session, the bill will die and we will have to start all over again to fight for property rights protection.
U.S. Senate Switchboard: 202-224-3121. Ask for your Senators by name and the operator will connect you.
2. Call Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Tell him you want S.3837 brought to the Senate floor for a vote. He has so far refused to do so. We must put pressure on him to act or the bill will die. Senator Frist's office number: 202-224-3344.
We can get S.3837 passed. But only if we apply enough pressure to Senator Frist to force a floor vote.
Please pass this action alert to at least 10 more people. It's urgent that you act now. The lame duck session will only last about another week!
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