IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 748 
Recognizing the importance of the property rights granted by the United 
States Constitution; affirming the duty of each Member of this body 
to support and defend such rights; and asserting that no public body 
should unlawfully obtain the property of any citizen of the United States 
for the benefit of another private citizen or corporation. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 
Mr. BROUN of Georgia (for himself, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. 
SCALISE, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. 
GINGREY of Georgia, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. 
CULBERSON, Mr. HERGER, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. 
WESTMORELAND, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. KING 
of Iowa, Mr. AKIN, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. BROWN of South 
Carolina, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. PENCE, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. 
FORBES, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. HARPER, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. LIN-
DER, Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, Mr. HELLER, Mr. WILSON of South Caro-
lina, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, 
and Mr. PRICE of Georgia) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the importance of the property rights granted 
by the United States Constitution; affirming the duty 
of each Member of this body to support and defend 
such rights; and asserting that no public body should 
unlawfully obtain the property of any citizen of the 
United States for the benefit of another private citizen 
or corporation. 
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•HRES 748 IH 
Whereas there is no greater expression of freedom and liberty 
than the defense of the God-given right of an individual 
to hold, possess, and use private property; 
Whereas John Locke, the great political philosopher lauded 
by so many of the Founders of this Nation, stated, ‘‘the 
preservation of property [is the reason] for which men 
enter into society’’ and that ‘‘no [government] hath a 
right to take their [property], or any part of it, without 
their own consent, for this would be in effect to leave 
them no property at all.’’; 
Whereas William Blackstone, whose lectures shaped and 
helped inspire the Declaration of Independence, Constitu-
tion, and primal laws of America, wrote: ‘‘So great more-
over is the regard of the law for private property, that 
it will not authorize the least violation of it; no, not even 
for the general good of the whole community.’’; 
Whereas Samuel Adams, the political writer, statesman, and 
signer of the Declaration of Independence, declared that 
our rights included: ‘‘First, a right to life; Secondly, to 
liberty; Thirdly, to property; together with the right to 
support and defend them.’’; 
Whereas John Adams, diplomat, signer of the Declaration of 
Independence, and President of the United States, firmly 
proclaimed: ‘‘The moment the idea is admitted into soci-
ety, that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, 
and that there is not a force of law and public justice to 
protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.’’ and that 
‘‘Property is surely a right of mankind as real as lib-
erty.’’; 
Whereas John Adams also affirmed: ‘‘Property must be se-
cured or liberty cannot exist.’’; 
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