Mark Kelly: “last year in the wake of the Supreme Court's Kelo v. New London decision, House Republicans drafted and passed…”

“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. ____________________”