Legislative History

"In 1970, Congress passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act.⁴⁵ This Act included a provision authorizing the government to seize drugs, drug manufacturing and storage equipment, and items used to transport drugs.⁴⁶ Later, Congress passed legislation broadening forfeiture laws to include proceeds from drug transactions⁴⁷ and real property.⁴⁸ Then in 1984, Congress passed the Comprehensive Crime Control Act, further expanding federal prosecutors’ ability to seize assets.⁴⁹
"After more than twenty years of unbridled police power in the area of asset forfeitures, critics, led by Representative Henry Hyde, the former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, began calling for reforms."