John Doolittle: “Mr. Chairman, if we go right to the wording of the U.S. Constitution and the fifth amendment, it says, ``Nor shall…”

“Mr. Chairman, if we go right to the wording of the U.S. Constitution and the fifth amendment, it says, ``Nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.'' That amendment was put in there in order to protect people from having the government steal their property for the general benefit of all. Sad to say, up until today, from the time the Constitution was drafted, this has been a right without an effective remedy, because in order to get the remedy, you had to be wealthy enough to go through years and years of litigation, 5 to 10 years on the average, and be able to expend $50,000 to $500,000 or more in attorney's fees. When I hear Members act like this is some great remedy that we have right now, I am here to say, it is not. That is why we need this piece of legislation. This effect of this amendment is to allow the government to take 19.9 percent of the entire value of your property without any compensation. This bill is designed to give efficacy to that right, to make it applicable to the average American.”