Strengthens the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act to block time‑based and non‑merits defenses and allow recovery claims even when a covered government was involved.
Changes the 2016 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act to strengthen the right of victims and heirs to recover art and property taken because of Nazi persecution. It bars certain time‑based and procedural defenses, allows suits even when a covered government or its agent was involved, permits nationwide service of process, and makes the changes apply to claims pending when the law is enacted and to claims filed later. The amendments add findings that explicitly allow recovery claims despite delays and remove defenses like laches, adverse possession, act of state, forum non conveniens, and international comity. The bill also treats covered claims as "rights in violation of international law" for jurisdictional purposes and includes a severability clause.
Official title: Clarify the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016, to appropriately limit the application of defenses based on the passage of time and other non-merits defenses to claims under that Act.
Introduced May 22, 2025 by John Cornyn · Last progress April 13, 2026