While Senators are good for the occasional debate, apparently they pretty much suck at doing what we elected them to do. Now part of this we can deal with in November, but right now, we need you to read this very important and urgent message from the Castle Coalition, and to find your U.S. Senator of choice and contact them A.S.A.P! Please....a lot of us in this country have worked so hard that others don't suffer what some of us suffered. Don't let eminent domain reform die. Act now!
Friends:
CONGRESS HAS ONLY 24 DAYS LEFT TO PASS EMINENT DOMAIN REFORM! Over ten months ago, the House passed H.R. 4128, the Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2005, by an overwhelming majority of 376-38. This bill would discourage eminent domain abuse by withholding federal economic development funds for two years from local governments that condemn private property for private commercial development. Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Kelo v. City of New London that private property can be seized through eminent domain on the mere promise of increased tax revenue or jobs, every home, business, church and farm across the country is endangered - because anyone’s property could make more money as something bigger and newer. Federal protections are essential to curb the abuse of eminent domain, but this bill has been languishing in the Senate since last November!
It is critical that you CONTACT YOUR SENATORS NOW and URGE THEM TO PASS THE HOUSE VERSION OF EMINENT DOMAIN REFORM! You can find their main phone numbers below. When you call, it's important that you request a written response from your senators. If you would like to call or visit their home state offices, you can find that information here: http://castlecoalition.org/legislation/senators.html. And although phone calls are more effective, if you'd rather send an email, you can do so through this link: https://action.popuvox.com/default.aspx?actionID=284.
After you call your senator, there are a number of other things you can do to make your voice heard:
- Write letters to the editor about eminent domain abuse and H.R. 4128
- Call radio talk shows and discuss the Senate’s lack of action to protect America’s home and small business owners
- Link to our countdown clock - which will countdown the amount of time Congress has left to pass reform - on your homepage or blog (you can do so by clicking here: http://castlecoalition.org/senatedeadline2006/)
- Sign-up your neighbors and friends for the Castle Coalition so they, too, can receive our legislative updates and join the fight against eminent domain abuse!
TIME IS RUNNING OUT! EMINENT DOMAIN REFORM WILL NOT PASS CONGRESS WITHOUT YOUR HELP. Contact your senators today!
Best,
Christina Walsh
Assistant Castle Coalition Coordinator
Institute for Justice
901 N. Glebe Road, Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 682-9320
www.ij.org
www.castlecoalition.org
PHONE NUMBERS
PENNSYLVANIA
Santorum, Rick (R - PA): (202) 224-6324
Specter, Arlen (R - PA): (202) 224-4254
DELAWARE
Biden, Joseph R., Jr. (D - DE): (202) 224-5042
Carper, Thomas R. (D - DE): (202) 224-2441
NEW JERSEY
Lautenberg, Frank R. (D - NJ): (202) 224-3224
Menendez, Robert (D - NJ): (202) 224-4744
The rest of the U.S.
ALASKA
Murkowski, Lisa (R - AK): (202) 224-6665
Stevens, Ted (R - AK): (202) 224-3004
ALABAMA
Sessions, Jeff (R - AL): (202) 224-4124
Shelby, Richard C. (R - AL): (202) 224-5744
ARKANSAS
Lincoln, Blanche L. (D - AR): (202) 224-4843
Pryor, Mark L. (D - AR): (202) 224-2353
ARIZONA
Kyl, Jon (R - AZ): (202) 224-4521
McCain, John (R - AZ): (202) 224-2235
CALIFORNIA
Boxer, Barbara (D - CA): (202) 224-3553
Feinstein, Dianne (D - CA): (202) 224-3841
COLORADO
Allard, Wayne (R - CO): (202) 224-5941
Salazar, Ken (D - CO): (202) 224-5852
CONNECTICUT
Dodd, Christopher J. (D - CT): (202) 224-2823
Lieberman, Joseph I. (D - CT): (202) 224-4041
FLORIDA
Martinez, Mel (R - FL): (202) 224-3041
Nelson, Bill (D - FL): (202) 224-5274
GEORGIA
Chambliss, Saxby (R - GA): (202) 224-3521
Isakson, Johnny (R - GA): (202) 224-3643
HAWAII
Akaka, Daniel K. (D - HI): (202) 224-6361
Inouye, Daniel K. (D - HI): (202) 224-3934
IOWA
Grassley, Chuck (R - IA): (202) 224-3744
Harkin, Tom (D - IA): (202) 224-3254
IDAHO
Craig, Larry E. (R - ID): (202) 224-2752
Crapo, Mike (R - ID): (202) 224-6142
ILLINOIS
Durbin, Richard (D - IL): (202) 224-2152
Obama, Barack (D - IL): (202) 224-2854
INDIANA
Bayh, Evan (D - IN): (202) 224-5623
Lugar, Richard G. (R - IN): (202) 224-4814
KANSAS
Brownback, Sam (R - KS): (202) 224-6521
Roberts, Pat (R - KS): (202) 224-4774
KENTUCKY
Bunning, Jim (R - KY): (202) 224-4343
McConnell, Mitch (R - KY): (202) 224-2541
LOUISIANA
Landrieu, Mary L. (D - LA): (202) 224-5824
Vitter, David (R - LA): (202) 224-4623
MASSACHUSETTS
Kennedy, Edward M. (D - MA): (202) 224-4543
Kerry, John F. (D - MA): (202) 224-2742
MARYLAND
Mikulski, Barbara A. (D - MD): (202) 224-4654
Sarbanes, Paul S. (D - MD): (202) 224-4524
MAINE
Collins, Susan M. (R - ME): (202) 224-2523
Snowe, Olympia J. (R - ME): (202) 224-5344
MICHIGAN
Levin, Carl (D - MI): (202) 224-6221
Stabenow, Debbie (D - MI): (202) 224-4822
MINNESOTA
Coleman, Norm (R - MN): (202) 224-5641
Dayton, Mark (D - MN): (202) 224-3244
MISSOURI
Bond, Christopher S. (R - MO): (202) 224-5721
Talent, James M. (R - MO): (202) 224-6154
MISSISSIPPI
Cochran, Thad (R - MS): (202) 224-5054
Lott, Trent (R - MS): (202) 224-6253
MONTANA
Baucus, Max (D - MT): (202) 224-2651
Burns, Conrad (R - MT): (202) 224-2644
NORTH CAROLINA
Burr, Richard (R - NC): (202) 224-3154
Dole, Elizabeth (R - NC): (202) 224-6342
NORTH DAKOTA
Conrad, Kent (D - ND): (202) 224-2043
Dorgan, Byron L. (D - ND): (202) 224-2551
NEBRASKA
Hagel, Chuck (R - NE): (202) 224-4224
Nelson, E. Benjamin (D - NE): (202) 224-6551
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Gregg, Judd (R - NH): (202) 224-3324
Sununu, John E. (R - NH): (202) 224-2841
NEW MEXICO
Bingaman, Jeff (D - NM): (202) 224-5521
Domenici, Pete V. (R - NM): (202) 224-6621
NEVADA
Ensign, John (R - NV): (202) 224-6244
Reid, Harry (D - NV): (202) 224-3542
NEW YORK
Clinton, Hillary Rodham (D - NY): (202) 224-4451
Schumer, Charles E. (D - NY): (202) 224-6542
OHIO
DeWine, Mike (R - OH): (202) 224-2315
Voinovich, George V. (R - OH): (202) 224-3353
OKLAHOMA
Coburn, Tom (R - OK): (202) 224-5754
Inhofe, James M. (R - OK): (202) 224-4721
OREGON
Smith, Gordon H. (R - OR): (202) 224-3753
Wyden, Ron (D - OR): (202) 224-5244
RHODE ISLAND
Chafee, Lincoln (R - RI): (202) 224-2921
Reed, Jack (D - RI): (202) 224-4642
SOUTH CAROLINA
DeMint, Jim (R - SC): (202) 224-6121
Graham, Lindsey (R - SC): (202) 224-5972
SOUTH DAKOTA
Johnson, Tim (D - SD): (202) 224-5842
Thune, John (R - SD): (202) 224-2321
TENNESSEE
Alexander, Lamar (R - TN): (202) 224-4944
Frist, William H. (R - TN): (202) 224-3344
TEXAS
Cornyn, John (R - TX): (202) 224-2934
Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R - TX): (202) 224-5922
UTAH
Bennett, Robert F. (R - UT): (202) 224-5444
Hatch, Orrin G. (R - UT): (202) 224-5251
VIRGINIA
Allen, George (R - VA): (202) 224-4024
Warner, John (R - VA): (202) 224-2023
VERMONT
Jeffords, James M. (I - VT): (202) 224-5141
Leahy, Patrick J. (D - VT): (202) 224-4242
WASHINGTON
Cantwell, Maria- (D - WA): (202) 224-3441
Murray, Patty (D - WA): (202) 224-2621
WISCONSIN
Feingold, Russell D. (D - WI): (202) 224-5323
Kohl, Herb (D - WI): (202) 224-5653
WEST VIRGINIA
Byrd, Robert C. (D - WV): (202) 224-3954
Rockefeller, John D. (D - WV): (202) 224-6472
WYOMING
Enzi, Michael B. (R - WY): (202) 224-3424
Thomas, Craig (R - WY): (202) 224-6441
P.S. HELP THE CASTLE COALITION GROW! Forward this message to your friends. They can sign-up here: http://www.castlecoalition.org/join/index.html
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SAC has been contacting Senators Specter and Santorum regarding eminent domain for close to TWO years. We e-mail, we write, we fax, we visit, we phone. We get nada, zilch, zip, zero....
Please note that during ALL this time we have never heard back from EITHER U.S. Senator. Most times when we phone, staffers sound either bored or irked that we are calling about good old eminent domain.
This morning we have started our calls. Santorum's office took caller information voluntarily. Specter's did NOT take caller information voluntarily - they said "we'll pass your comments along". Once again Specter's office sounded as if we were bothering them on this important issue. Once again we fail to fathom how Arlen Specter doesn't comment about eminent domain. He has local ties to this area, is he that out of touch with constituents?
We are reminding Santorum's office that NOT ONCE did eminent domain come up during the debate over the weekend with Casey that was moderated by Tim Russert, even though Santorum DID bring up the pay raise. If he knows about the pay raise, how can he NOT know about eminent domain??? Santorum has been floating through the Philadelphia region with his hand out for campaign donations. Is he that out of touch with his constituents as well?
Here are ALL the numbers for the US Senators from PA, please call them EVERY day until this legislation is passed, and remind Rick Santorum that eminent domain is an election year issue in PA!:
PENNSYLVANIA
Santorum, Rick (R - PA): (202) 224-6324
Allentown: 610-770-0142
Altoona: 814-946-7023
Coudersport: 814-454-7114
Erie: 814-454-7114
Harrisburg: 717-231-7540
Philadelphia: 215-864-6900
Pittsburgh: 412-562-0533
Scranton: 570-344-8799
Specter, Arlen (R - PA): (202) 224-4254
Allentown: 610-434-1444
Harrisburg: 717-782-3951
Pittsburgh: 412-644-3400
Wilkes-Barre: 570-826-6265
Erie: 814-453-3010
Philadelphia: 215-597-7200
Scranton: 570-346-2006
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permalinkOur president received a return call from Senator Specter's office re: HR 4128, and all he received was political double talk..sort of like a talking "Dear Occupant" letter
Are we to assume that with 18 days to go until the bill dies in the U.S. Senate that the Senators from Pennsylvania don't care about eminent domain reform? Are we to assume that our inalienable rights are for OTHER people? Visit http://www.castlecoalition.org/
Folks if your U.S. Senator is up for re-election and DOESN'T work to pass eminent domain reform like contained within HR 4128, vote 'em out in November. It is that simple.
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