,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,r4 #facj  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!  
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,decemb] #h1           
#bjaf,receiv$  ,,an ,,act  ,to provide !
 victims ( ,holocau/-era p]secution & _!
 heirs a fair opportunity to recov]     
works ( art confiscat$ or misappropriat$
 by ! ,nazis4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,holocau/ ,expropriat$ 
,art ,recov]y ,act ( #bjaf4  #b4 ,f9d+s 
,congress f9ds ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,x is    
e/imat$ t ! ,nazis confiscat$ or o!rwise
 misappropriat$ hundr$s ( ?\s&s ( works 
( art & o!r prop]ty ?r\gh\t ,europe z "p
 ( _! g5ocidal campaign aga9/ ! ,jewi% p
 & o!r p]secut$ gr\ps4 ,?is has be5     
describ$ z ! greate/ displacem5t ( art 9
 human hi/ory4  7#b7 ,foll[+ ,_w ,w>    
,,ii1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & its allies      
attempt$ to return ! /ol5 artworks to _!
 c\ntries ( orig94 ,despite ^! ef=ts1 _m
 works ( art 7 nev] reunit$ ) _! own]s4 
,"s ( ! art has s9ce be5 discov]$ 9 !   
,unit$ ,/ates4  7#c7 ,9 #aiih1 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates conv5$ a conf]5ce ) #dc o!r      

nations 9 ,wa%+ton1 ,,dc1 kn[n z !      
,wa%+ton ,conf]5ce1 :i* produc$         
,pr9ciples on ,nazi-,confiscat$ ,art4   
,"o ( ^! pr9ciples is t /eps %\ld be    
tak5 exp$iti\sly to a*ieve a j & fair   
solution to claims involv+ su* art t has
 n be5 re/itut$ if ! own]s or _! heirs c
 be id5tifi$4  7#d7 ,! same ye>1        
,congress enact$ ! ,holocau/ ,victims   
,r$ress ,act 7,public ,law #aje-aeh1    
#aab ,/at4 #ae71 :i* express$ ! s5se (  
,congress t all gov]nm5ts %\ld und]take 
good fai? ef=ts to facilitate ! return (
 private & public prop]ty1 su* z works (
 art1 to ! rightful own]s 9 cases :]e   
assets 7 confiscat$ f ! claimant dur+ ! 
p]iod ( ,nazi rule & !re is reasonable  
pro( t ! claimant is ! rightful own]44  
7#e7 ,9 #bjji1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates          
p>ticipat$ 9 a ,holocau/ ,era ,assets   
,conf]5ce 9 ,prague1 ,cze* ,republic1 ) 
#de o!r nations4 ,at ! conclusion ( ?is 
conf]5ce1 ! p>ticipat+ nations issu$ !  
,t]ez9 ,decl>ation1 :i* reaffirm$ !     
#aiih ,wa%+ton ,conf]5ce ,pr9ciples on  

,nazi-,confiscat$ ,art & urg$ all       
p>ticipants to ensure t _! legal sy/ems 
or alt]native processes1 :ile tak+ into 
acc\nt ! diff]5t legal traditions1      
facilitate j & fair solutions ) reg>d to
 ,nazi-confiscat$ & loot$ art1 & to make
 c]ta9 t claims to recov] su* art are   
resolv$ exp$iti\sly & bas$ on ! facts & 
m]its ( ! claims & all ! relevant       
docum5ts submitt$ by all p>ties44 ,!    
,decl>ation also urg$ p>ticipants to    
consid] all relevant issues :5 apply+   
v>i\s legal provisions t may imp$e !    
re/itution ( art & cultural prop]ty1 9  
ord] to a*ieve j & fair solutions1 z    
well z alt]native dispute resolution1   
:]e appropriate "u law44  7#f7 ,victims 
( ,nazi p]secution & _! heirs h tak5    
legal action 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates to recov]
 ,nazi-confiscat$ art4 ,^! lawsuits face
 significant proc$ural ob/acles p>tly   
due to ,/ate /atutes ( limitations1 :i* 
typically b> claims )9 "s limit$ numb] (
 ye>s f ei!r ! date ( ! loss or ! date t
 ! claim %\ld h be5 discov]$4 ,9 "s     

cases1 ?is means t ! claims expir$ be=e 
,_w ,w> ,,ii ev5 end$4 7,see1 e4g41     
,detroit ,in/itute ( ,arts v4 ,ull91    
,no4 #jf-ajccc1 #bjjg ,,wl #ajafiif     
7,e4,d4 ,mi*4 ,m>4 #ca1 #bjjg747 ,!     
unique & horrific circum/ances ( ,_w ,w>
 ,,ii & ! ,holocau/ make /atutes (      
limitations especially burd5some to !   
victims & _! heirs4 ,^? seek+ recov]y ( 
,nazi-confiscat$ art mu/ pa9/ak+ly piece
 toge!r _! cases f a fragm5t>y hi/orical
 record ravag$ by p]secution1 w>1 &     
g5ocide4 ,?is co/ly process (t5 _c be   
done )9 ! "t con/ra9ts impos$ by exi/+  
law4  7#g7 ,f$]al legislation is ne$$   
because ! only c\rt t has consid]$ ! "q 
held t ! ,con/itution prohibits ,/ates f
 mak+ exceptions to _! /atutes (        
limitations to accommodate claims       
involv+ ! recov]y ( ,nazi-confiscat$    
art4 ,9 ,von ,sah] v4 ,norton ,simon    
,museum ( ,art1 #eib ,f4#c;d #ied 7#i?  
,cir4 #bjji71 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,c\rt (   
,appeals = ! ,n9? ,circuit invalidat$ a 
,cali=nia law t ext5d$ ! ,/ate /atute ( 

limitations = claims seek+ recov]y (    
,holocau/-era artwork4 ,! ,c\rt held t !
 law 0 an uncon/itutional infr+em5t ( ! 
,f$]al ,gov]nm5t's exclusive au?ority   
ov] =eign affairs1 :i* includes !       
resolution ( w>-relat$ disputes4 ,9     
light ( ?is prec$5t1 ! enactm5t ( a     
,f$]al law is necess>y to ensure t      
claims to ,nazi-confiscat$ art are      
adjudicat$ 9 accordance ) ,unit$ ,/ates 
policy z express$ 9 ! ,wa%+ton ,conf]5ce
 ,pr9ciples on ,nazi-,confiscat$ ,art1 !
 ,holocau/ ,victims ,r$ress ,act1 & !   
,t]ez9 ,decl>ation4  7#h7 ,:ile         
litigation may be us$ to resolve claims 
to recov] ,nazi-confiscat$ art1 x is !  
s5se ( ,congress t ! private resolution 
( claims by p>ties involv$1 on ! m]its &
 ?r\gh ! use ( alt]native dispute       
resolution su* z m$iation panels        
e/abli%$ = ?is purpose ) ! aid ( exp]ts 
9 prov5ance rese>* & hi/ory1 w yield j &
 fair resolutions 9 a m effici5t &      
pr$ictable mann]4  #c4 ,purposes ,!     
purposes ( ?is ,act are ! foll[+3 7#a7  

,to ensure t laws gov]n+ claims to      
,nazi-confiscat$ art & o!r prop]ty fur!r
 ,unit$ ,/ates policy z set =? 9 !      
,wa%+ton ,conf]5ce ,pr9ciples on        
,nazi-,confiscat$ ,art1 ! ,holocau/     
,victims ,r$ress ,act1 & ! ,t]ez9       
,decl>ation4  7#b7 ,to ensure t claims  
to artwork & o!r prop]ty /ol5 or        
misappropriat$ by ! ,nazis are n        
unfairly b>r$ by /atutes ( limitations b
 are resolv$ 9 a j & fair mann]4  #d4   
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,actual   
discov]y ,! t]m actual discov]y means k4
  7#b7 ,artwork or o!r prop]ty ,! t]m   
artwork or o!r prop]ty means-- 7,a7     
pictures1 pa9t+s1 & draw+s2  7,b7 /atu>y
 art & sculpture2  7,c7 engrav+s1 pr9ts1
 li?ographs1 & works ( graphic art2     
7,d7 appli$ art & orig9al arti/ic       
assemblages & montages2  7,e7 books1    
ar*ives1 musical objects & manuscripts  
7includ+ musical manuscripts & %eets71 &
 s\nd1 photographic1 & c9ematographic   
ar*ives & m$iums2 &  7,f7 sacr$ &       
c]emonial objects & ,judaica4  7#c7     

,cov]$ p]iod ,! t]m cov]$ p]iod means ! 
p]iod beg9n+ on ,janu>y #a1 #aicc1 &    
end+ on ,decemb] #ca1 #aide4  7#d7 ,k ,!
 t]m k means hav+ actual k ( a fact or  
circum/ance or suffici5t in=mation )    
reg>d to a relevant fact or circum/ance 
to am\nt to actual k !re(4  7#e7 ,nazi  
p]secution ,! t]m ,nazi p]secution means
 any p]secution ( a specific gr\p (     
individuals bas$ on ,nazi ideology by ! 
,gov]nm5t ( ,g]many1 its allies or      
ag5ts1 memb]s ( ! ,nazi ,p>ty1 or _!    
ag5ts or associates1 dur+ ! cov]$ p]iod4
  #e4 ,/atute ( limitations  7a7 ,9     
g5]al ,not)/&+ any o!r provision (      
,f$]al or ,/ate law or any def5se at law
 relat+ to ! passage ( "t1 & except z   
o!rwise provid$ 9 ?is section1 a civil  
claim or cause ( action aga9/ a def5dant
 to recov] any artwork or o!r prop]ty t 
0 lo/ dur+ ! cov]$ p]iod because ( ,nazi
 p]secution may be comm5c$ n lat] ?an #f
 ye>s aft] ! actual discov]y by !       
claimant or ! ag5t ( ! claimant (--     
7#a7 ! id5tity & location ( ! artwork or

 o!r prop]ty2 &  7#b7 a possessory      
int]e/ ( ! claimant 9 ! artwork or o!r  
prop]ty4  7b7 ,possible misid5tification
 ,= purposes ( subsection 7a77#a71 9 a  
case 9 :i* ! artwork or o!r prop]ty is  
"o ( a gr\p ( sub/antially simil>       
multiple artworks or o!r prop]ty1 actual
 discov]y ( ! id5tity & location ( !    
artwork or o!r prop]ty %all be deem$ to 
occur on ! date on :i* !re are facts    
suffici5t to =m a sub/antial basis to   
believe t ! artwork or o!r prop]ty is ! 
artwork or o!r prop]ty t 0 lo/4  7c7    
,preexi/+ claims ,except z provid$ 9    
subsection 7e71 a civil claim or cause (
 action describ$ 9 subsection 7a7 %all  
be deem$ to h be5 actually discov]$ on !
 date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act if--  7#a7  
be=e ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act-- 7,a7
 a claimant _h k ( ! elem5ts set =? 9   
subsection 7a72 &  7,b7 ! civil claim or
 cause ( action 0 b>r$ by a ,f$]al or   
,/ate /atute ( limitations2 or  7#b7    
7,a7 be=e ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 
a claimant _h k ( ! elem5ts set =? 9    

subsection 7a72 &  7,b7 on ! date (     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! civil claim or   
cause ( action 0 n b>r$ by a ,f$]al or  
,/ate /atute ( limitations4  7d7        
,applicability ,subsection 7a7 %all     
apply to any civil claim or cause (     
action t is-- 7#a7 p5d+ 9 any c\rt on ! 
date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 includ+ any 
civil claim or cause ( action t is p5d+ 
on appeal or = :i* ! "t to file an      
appeal has n expir$2 or  7#b7 fil$ dur+ 
! p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( enactm5t (   
?is ,act & end+ on ,decemb] #ca1 #bjbf4 
7e7 ,exception ,subsection 7a7 %all n   
apply to any civil claim or cause (     
action b>r$ on ! day be=e ! date (      
enactm5t ( ?is ,act by a ,f$]al or ,/ate
 /atute ( limitations if--  7#a7 !      
claimant or a pr$ecessor-9-int]e/ ( !   
claimant _h k ( ! elem5ts set =? 9      
subsection 7a7 on or aft] ,janu>y #a1   
#aiii2 &  7#b7 n less ?an #f ye>s h     
pass$ f ! date su* claimant or          
pr$ecessor-9-int]e/ acquir$ su* k & dur+
 :i* "t ! civil claim or cause ( action 

0 n b>r$ by a ,f$]al or ,/ate /atute (  
limitations4  7f7 ,rule ( con/ruction   
,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to     
create a civil claim or cause ( action  
"u ,f$]al or ,/ate law4  7g7 ,sunset    
,?is ,act %all cease to h effect on     
,janu>y #a1 #bjbg1 except t ?is ,act    
%all cont9ue to apply to any civil claim
 or cause ( action describ$ 9 subsection
 7a7 t is p5d+ on ,janu>y #a1 #bjbg4    
,any civil claim or cause ( action      
comm5c$ on or aft] t date to recov]     
artwork or o!r prop]ty describ$ 9 ?is   
,act %all be subject to any applicable  
,f$]al or ,/ate /atute ( limitations or 
any o!r ,f$]al or ,/ate def5se at law   
relat+ to ! passage ( "t4  ,pass$ !     
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives ,decemb] #g1    
#bjaf4,k>5 ,l4 ,haas1,cl]k