On the recordJanuary 22, 2015
what I am not a fan of is a foreign company coming to the United States and taking the property of U.S. citizens. This amendment seems innocuous, but it embraces the seizure of private property for private gain to the full extent of the Constitution. Ten years ago my dear friend from Texas decried the Kelo decision and advocated for severely restricting the use of eminent domain for private gain. Now, with this amendment, he endorses it. The Founders of our country and its Constitution never envisioned having a company from another country come to the United States and use eminent domain to take the property of U.S. citizens for private purposes. That is what we are trying to avoid with the Menendez amendment. If you vote for the amendment by the Senator from Texas, you in essence will continue to allow the opportunity for any foreign company to come into the United States and take private property of U.S. citizens for private purposes. That is not what we want to see. Vote no on the Cornyn amendment. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the amendment, as modified.
