Congress Hits Back at the Supreme Court over its Controversial Eminent Domain Decision

by Kenneth R. Harney
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The U.S. Supreme Court's controversial June 23 decision on local governments' powers to seize homes has produced a massive backlash in Congress.

Before heading home for the July 4 recess, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a resolution expressing its "grave disapproval" of the Court's decision in Kelo vs. City of New London. The bipartisan vote was 365 to 33. The House also passed an amendment with real teeth -- a prohibition against the use of federal funds in connection with any real estate project where a local government used its eminent domain seizure powers to transfer property from one private owner to another under the banner of "economic development."

The amendment, which passed by a vote of 231-189, was attached to an appropriations bill and now goes to the Senate. The amendment specified federal funds administered by HUD, the Dept. of Transportation and the Treasury.