H.R. 2686 — Introduced in House

I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2686 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 10, 2019Ms. Waters (for herself, Mr. Takano, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Norton, Ms. Lee of California, Ms. Moore, Mr. Levin of Michigan, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Lofgren, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. Tlaib, and Ms. Omar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To prohibit the transfer, obligation, or expenditure of Federal funds to take property for the construction of a wall along the southern border, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Border Property Protection Act. 2. Prohibition (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal department or agency may transfer, obligate, or expend any funds in connection with the use of eminent domain to take any property from any landowner on or in the vicinity of the southern border for construction of fencing, physical barriers, or a wall, including if such transfer, obligation, or expenditure is done in furtherance of the President’s February 15, 2019, declaration of a national emergency pursuant to section 201 of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1621) entitled Presidential Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States (Proclamation 9844; 84 Fed. Reg. 4949) or any such related successor declaration. (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Landowner The term landowner means any person who owns any property. (2) Person The term person means a natural person, any Tribal, State, or local government or similar entity, or any private sector entity. (3) Property The term property means land, including an estate or interest in land, including an easement or right of way in land.