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Congressman Tom Reed shared Tuesday how his 'Private Property Impact Test' will protect property owners in New York.

"Last week I proposed an Amendment to the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act on the floor of the House.  My amendment is the next step to defend private property. While my bill, the Defense of Property Rights Act (DOPRA) is in the House Judiciary Committee, I am always looking for additional avenues to ensure American property rights are protected. This amendment does just that.

The Defense of Property Rights Act (DOPRA) introduced by Rep. Reed provides two real avenues of defense: Compensation and Legal Reform. By providing an opportunity for compensation for property owners when government action significantly impairs the value of ownership of their property, we are creating a disincentive for expanding government overreach.

The second avenue of defense for property owners addresses the issue of jurisdiction. By streamlining the Federal Court process and providing for concurrent federal and state jurisdiction a secondary means for adjudicating claims, this helps ensure that fundamental fairness is returned to the system and provided to property owners.

"My amendment ensures government identifies the impact its action will have on private property," Reed said.  "I think of it like this: we have environmental impact tests to assess the community cost associated with government action; why don't we also have a private property impact test to assess the cost borne by individuals due to that same governmental action?  It is only common-sense and fair to property owners for this to occur."

Reed's Amendment introduced to H.R. 50, The Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, adds to the rule-making process a requirement to include an analysis of impacts on private property owners. This is done by requiring agencies to consider and quantify the effects of regulation on the value or use of private property impacted by the proposed action.  It passed unanimously on the Floor of the house on February 4, 2015.

"By seizing this opportunity to include my amendment in the regulatory reform bill, I am continuing the fight to protect our constitutional rights," said Reed.  "I am glad this passed with broad bi-partisan approval as the amendment cleared the House of Representatives unanimously this past week."

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