Excerpt: 06-30-2005 Lawmakers are trying to blunt a Supreme Court decision that says local governments can seize people's homes to make way for shopping malls and other private development.
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said Thursday the high court had made "a horrible decision" and he hoped it would cause a backlash.
"The only silver lining to this decision is the possibility that this time the Court has finally gone too far and that the American people are ready to reassert their constitutional authority," said DeLay, R-Texas, a critic of recent court decisions.
In a 5-4 ruling last week, the Supreme Court said municipalities have broad power to bulldoze people's homes and put up shopping malls or other private development to generate tax revenue. The decision drew a scathing dissent from Justice Sandra Day O'Connor as favoring rich corporations. DeLay agreed.
"Someone could knock on your door, and tell you that the city council has voted to give your house to someone else because they have nicer plans for the property," DeLay said.
Legislation in the works would ban the use of federal funds for any project getting the go-ahead using the Kelo v. City of New London decision. "They're going to have to find their own money, instead of coming to Washington," said Rep. James Sensenbrenner, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., mentioned community development block grants as one type of money source that would be banned for projects advancing as a result of the Kelo decision.
Rest here:
Congress Working on Bills to Blunt High Court's 'Kelo' Ruling
I'll tell ya .. Delay and Sensebrenner kick butt .. much as I can't stand to listen to Sensebrenner, he's got guts and he's not afraid of anyone .. God Bless Them!