H.R. 510: Defense of Property Rights Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-01-22 · Law · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-01-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Reed, Tom [R-NY-23] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Defense of Property Rights Act

Plain summary

Defense of Property Rights Act Prohibits federal or state agencies from taking private property in whole or in part (including by physical invasion, regulation, exaction, or condition) except for public purpose and with just compensation to the property owner. Requires a property owner to receive just compensation if, as a consequence of an agency's decision, the property has been physically invaded or taken without the owner's consent in an action that: does not substantially advance the stated governmental interest; exacts the owner's lawful right to use the property, or a portion of the property, as a condition for an agency's action (including the granting of a permit, license, or variance) without a rough proportionality between the stated need for the property and the impact of the proposed use; deprives the owner, either temporarily or permanently, of substantially all economically beneficial or productive use of the property, or of a part of the property, without a showing that the deprivation of value inheres in the title; diminishes the property's fair market value by at least 20% or $20,000; or constitutes any other taking within the meaning of the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution. Includes an agency's decision that interferes with an owner's investment-backed expectations to water rights or to rents, issues, or profits of land (including minerals, timber, fodder, crops, oil and gas, coal, or geothermal energy) among the categories of actions that may require payment of just compensation. Defines "just compensation" to include the property's fair market value, business losses, and compounded interest from the date of the taking until the agency's payment. Allows adversely affected property owners to challenge agency actions in either a U.S. district court or the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (USCFC). Provides persons adversely affected by an agency action with standing to challenge or seek judicial review. Amends the federal judicial code to allow the USCFC to: (1) render judgment upon a claim against an agency for monetary relief, (2) invalidate federal laws or regulations that violate Fifth Amendment property rights, (3) grant injunctive and declaratory relief, and (4) have concurrent jurisdiction with other courts. Establishes a six-year statute of limitations for actions to be brought after a taking. Requires courts to award litigation costs, attorney's fees, and expert witness fees to prevailing plaintiffs. Allows takings disputes to be resolved through settlement or arbitration.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Defense of Property Rights Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Reed, Tom [R-NY-23] · 8 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Tom Emmer (R-MN), Mark E. Amodei (R-NV), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY), David Schweikert (R-AZ)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr510.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr510 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114