,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bgfc  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #g1 #bjaf ,mr4  
,cornyn 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,cruz1 ,mr4    
,s*um]1 & ,mr4 ,blum5?al7 introduc$ !   
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,a      
,,bill  ,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$ z _m z #fej1jjj works ( 
art ?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 ) #dd 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$e !    
re/itution ( art & cultural prop]ty1 9  
ord] to a*ieve j & fair solutions1 z    
well z alt]native dispute resolution1   
:]e appropriate "u law44  7#f7 ,num]\s  
victims ( ,nazi p]secution & _! heirs h 
tak5 legal action to recov]             
,nazi-confiscat$ 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$4 7,see1 e4g41 ,!  
,detroit ,in/itute ( ,arts v4 ,ull91    
,no4 #jf-ajccc1 #bjjg ,,wl #ajafiif     
7,e4,d4 ,mi*4 ,m>4 #ca1 #bjjg747 ,!     
unique & horrific circum/ances ( ,_w ,w>
 ,,ii & ! ,holocau/ make /atutes (      
limitations & o!r "t-bas$ proc$ural     
def5ses especially burd5some to !       
victims & _! heirs4 ,^? seek+ recov]y ( 
,nazi-confiscat$ 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 ! be/ way to ensure t     
claims to ,nazi-confiscat$ art are      
adjudicat$ on _! m]its4  #c4 ,purposes  
,! purposes ( ?is ,act are ! foll[+3    
7#a7 ,to ensure t laws gov]n+ claims to 
,nazi-confiscat$ art fur!r ,unit$ ,/ates
 policy z set =? 9 ! ,wa%+ton ,conf]5ce 
,pr9ciples on ,nazi-,confiscat$ ,art1 ! 
,holocau/ ,victims ,r$ress ,act1 & !    
,t]ez9 ,decl>ation4  7#b7 ,to ensure t  
claims to artwork /ol5 or misappropriat$
 by ! ,nazis are n b>r$ by /atutes (    
limitations & o!r simil> legal doctr9es 
b are resolv$ 9 a j & fair mann] on !   

m]its4  #d4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act--   
7#a7 ! t]m actual discov]y does n       
include any con/ructive k imput$ by law2
  7#b7 ! t]m artwork or o!r cultural    
prop]ty includes any pa9t+1 sculpture1  
draw+1 "w ( graphic art1 pr9t1          
multiples1 book1 manuscript1 ar*ive1 or 
sacr$ or c]emonial object2  7#c7 ! t]m  
p]secution dur+ ! ,nazi era means any   
p]secution by ! ,nazis or _! allies dur+
 ! p]iod f ,janu>y #a1 #aicc1 to        
,decemb] #ca1 #aide1 t 0 bas$ on race1  
e?nicity1 or religion2 &  7#d7 ! t]m    
unlawfully lo/ includes any !ft1        
seizure1 =c$ sale1 sale "u duress1 or   
any o!r loss ( an artwork or cultural   
prop]ty t w\ld n h occurr$ abs5t        
p]secution dur+ ! ,nazi era4  #e4       
,/atute ( limitations  7a7 ,9 g5]al     
,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( ,f$]al law1
 any provision ( ,/ate law1 or any      
def5se at law or equity relat+ to !     
passage ( "t 7includ+ ! doctr9e (       
la*es71 a civil claim or cause ( action 
aga9/ a def5dant to recov] any artwork  

or o!r cultural prop]ty unlawfully lo/  
because ( p]secution dur+ ! ,nazi era or
 = damages = ! tak+ or deta9+ ( any     
artwork or o!r cultural prop]ty         
unlawfully lo/ because ( p]secution dur+
 ! ,nazi era may be comm5c$ n lat] ?an  
#f ye>s aft] ! actual discov]y by !     
claimant or ! ag5t ( ! claimant (--     
7#a7 ! id5tity & location ( ! artwork or
 cultural prop]ty2 &  7#b7 in=mation or 
facts suffici5t to indicate t ! claimant
 has a claim = a possessory int]e/ 9 !  
artwork or cultural prop]ty t 0         
unlawfully lo/4  7b7 ,possible          
misid5tification ,= purposes (          
subsection 7a77#a71 9 a case 9 :i* !re  
is a possibility ( misid5tification ( ! 
artwork or cultural prop]ty1 !          
id5tification ( ! artwork or cultural   
prop]ty %all occur on ! date on :i* !re 
are facts suffici5t to det]m9e t !      
artwork or cultural prop]ty is likely to
 be ! artwork or cultural prop]ty t 0   
unlawfully lo/4  7c7 ,applicability     
7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,subsection 7a7 %all apply

 to any civil claim or cause ( action   
7includ+ a civil claim or cause ( action
 describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b77 t is--  7,a7 
p5d+ on ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act2 or
  7,b7 fil$ dur+ ! p]iod beg9n+ on !    
date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act & end+ on    
,decemb] #ca1 #bjbf4  7#b7 ,inclusion ( 
previ\sly dismiss$ claims ,a civil claim
 or cause ( action describ$ 9 ?is       
p>agraph is a civil claim or cause (    
action-- 7,a7 t 0 dismiss$ be=e ! date (
 enactm5t ( ?is ,act bas$ on !          
expiration ( a ,f$]al or ,/ate /atute ( 
limitations or any o!r def5se at law or 
equity relat+ to ! passage ( "t 7includ+
 ! doctr9e ( la*es72 &  7,b7 9 :i* f9al 
judgm5t has n be5 ent]$4