The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.1962 Senate Hearings on Coal Pipeline Eminent Domain (S. 3044)
Record date · July 20, 2026
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
This document records the 1962 Senate Committee on Commerce hearings regarding S. 3044, a proposed bill to grant coal pipeline companies the power of . The hearings explored whether pipeline carriers should be allowed to acquire private land for infrastructure development under the .
The bill proposed granting private coal pipeline companies the legal authority to seize private property for pipeline construction, which would have established a new precedent for energy infrastructure development in the United States.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Coal pipeline companies
The bill would grant these entities the legal authority to exercise eminent domain to acquire land.
Private landowners
These individuals would be subject to the potential seizure of their property for pipeline infrastructure if the bill were enacted.
Key Facts
- S. 3044 proposed amending the Interstate Commerce Act to grant eminent domain rights to coal pipeline carriers.
- The hearings were conducted by the Senate Committee on Commerce during the 87th Congress.
- Hearings took place over six days: April 18, May 1, May 2, May 3, May 4, and May 21, 1962.
- The bill specifically targeted carriers of coal by pipeline subject to Part 1 of the Interstate Commerce Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of S. 3044?
When did these hearings occur?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceFull breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Eminent Domain
The bill represents an attempt to extend traditional government eminent domain powers to private commercial entities for the purpose of energy transport.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools