William Tauzin: “Nobody in this room, I hope, believes that the Government has the right to come and take 10, 20, percent, any amount of…”

“Nobody in this room, I hope, believes that the Government has the right to come and take 10, 20, percent, any amount of your property. If you really believe that--the gentleman makes the point--how many people are willing to donate 20 percent of their homes to the Federal Government? But when the Government comes and takes it, clearly that requires the Government to pay compensation. That is what this fight is all about. The debate we are on right now, whether to accept the amendment offered by the gentleman from California [Mr. Mineta], will not only change it from 10 to 20 but will now involve all of the property of the owner, not just the affected regulated portion, The court, in Florida Rock, said that is wrong. It said the fifth amendment prohibits uncompensated taking of private property without reference to the owner's remaining property. We defeated this amendment, and then we offered an amendment to change it from 10 to 20.”