PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 18, 2005
Empowering More Property Owners With Enhanced Rights Act of 2005 or EMPOWER Act - Amends the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 to require a federal agency when acquiring real property to provide to a property owner with: (1) at the beginning of the negotiation process, the current contact information for the Office of the Property Rights Ombudsperson; (2) a description of available mediation and other dispute resolution alternatives; and (3) in specified cases, a copy of the appraisal.
Establishes the Office of the Property Rights Ombudsperson to: (1) at the request of a federal or state agency, advise the agency with respect to actions that may affect property rights; (2) advise private property owners that have a legitimate potential or actual claim against a federal agency involving property rights; and (3) if appropriate, and if requested by a private property owner, mediate or arrange arbitration for disputes between private property owners and federal agencies that involve property rights, eminent domain, or relocation assistance under the Act.
Sets forth requirements for arbitration and mediation requested by a private property owner and arranged by the Property Rights Ombudsperson.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Authorizes the establishment of other federal and state offices of property rights ombudspersons.
People & committees
Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R–UT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11479-11480)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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