Congress assails domain ruling

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Congress lashed out at the Supreme Court yesterday for expanding government powers of eminent domain and vowed to ban any federal funds for state and local governments that employ the new authority.

Rep. Maxine Waters, California Democrat and member of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is "outraged" by the decision. "It's the most un-American thing that can be done."

Last week's Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London created new eminent domain powers to allow local governments to take private property from its lawful owner and give it to a private developer who promises to generate greater tax revenue with the land.

The new powers of eminent domain -- long reserved for taking property only for public use such as highways -- could be used to build developments such as privately owned strip malls or motels.

In response, a bipartisan group of senators and House members joined yesterday in introducing legislation that will withhold federal funding from any state or local government that tries to use those expanded powers.

"The Supreme Court voted last week to undo private property rights and to empower governments to kick people out of their homes and give them to someone else because they feel like it," said House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Texas Republican. "No court that denies property rights will long respect and recognize other basic human rights."

The decision was particularly explosive amid speculation that one or more Supreme Court justices may retire in coming weeks. Republicans who already view the Supreme Court as power-hungry said the decision will rally Americans behind their effort to make the court more conservative.

"The only silver lining to the cloud of this decision is the possibility that this time the court has finally gone too far," Mr. DeLay said.

While many opposed the proposal to address the ruling, few in Congress -- including the House's lone self-described socialist, Rep. Bernard Sanders of Vermont -- defended the Supreme Court ruling.

"I disagree with the Supreme Court's decision in Kelo v. New London," Mr. Sanders said. "I believe that the result of this decision will be that working families and poor people will see their property turned over to corporate interests and wealthy developers."