NE Missouri News

Congressman Sam Graves, who represents Missouri’s 6th district in the U.S. Congress, has introduced new legislation aimed at strengthening landowner rights against federal land seizures. The proposed bill, called the Rails to Trails Landowner Rights Act, seeks to address concerns about how the federal government manages former railroad corridors.

Graves stated, “Our right to own property, to farm, and to provide for our families is sacred. The Founding Fathers sought to protect landowners from government land grabs with the Fifth Amendment. Sadly, Washington bureaucrats don’t seem to miss an opportunity to go after our rights. They’ve got to be held accountable so we can protect landowner rights and stop these federal land grabs.”

The legislation targets the Surface Transportation Board’s Rails to Trails program. This program allows unused rail corridors to be converted into recreational trails by third parties. According to Graves, this process currently violates constitutional rights by excluding landowners from decisions about their property. The bill would require that trail sponsors obtain approval from all affected landowners and provide full compensation if a project proceeds.

Several members of Congress are cosponsoring the bill: Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Ann Wagner (MO-02), Mark Alford (MO-04), Harriet Hageman (WY-AL), and Bob Onder (MO-03).

Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins commented on the proposal: “Missouri Farm Bureau has long stood up for the rights of property owners, and we remain concerned about the impact of the federal Rails to Trails program, which can convert unused rail corridors into public trails without the consent of those who own the land. Safeguarding private property rights is fundamental to our mission. We commend Chairman Graves for his unwavering commitment to ensuring landowners have a voice in these decisions. As this legislation moves forward, we are eager to collaborate with Chairman Graves, his colleagues in Congress, and an expanding coalition of supporters who share our dedication to protecting property rights and finding common ground on this important issue.”

Graves has served as a member of Congress since 2001 after replacing Pat Danner. Before joining Congress, he was part of both the Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate between 1993 and 2001. Born in Tarkio in 1963, Graves graduated from the University of Missouri in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree.