House Passes Bill To Ease Recovery of Nazi-Looted Art
The House of Representatives has approved new legislation designed to strengthen the ability of Holocaust victims’ heirs to reclaim artwork stolen by the Nazi regime, pushing forward a measure that underscores America’s enduring commitment to justice and historical accountability.
The bill, passed Monday, extends key provisions of the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016, which is set to expire later this year. While some U.S. museums and European interests have raised concerns about the impact on existing legal defenses, lawmakers backing the measure argue that moral clarity must take precedence over procedural technicalities.
Originally enacted to prevent institutions from dismissing restitution claims based on statutes of limitations, the 2016 law allows heirs to file claims within six years of discovering that artwork was stolen. However, in practice, courts have sometimes sided with current holders of disputed works, citing the difficulty of defending claims tied to events that occurred decades ago.
The updated legislation aims to close that gap by further restricting the use of time-based legal defenses—ensuring that claims are judged on their substance rather than dismissed on procedural grounds.
Having already passed the Senate unanimously in December, the bill now heads to President Donald J. Trump, who is currently serving his second term, for final consideration. The White House has not yet indicated whether the president will sign the measure into law. The legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), who emphasized the moral weight behind the effort.
“The Holocaust was one of the darkest chapters in human history, marked not only by the murder of millions of Jews but also by the systematic theft of their homes, livelihoods, and cultural heritage,” said Lee in a statement posted to her congressional website.
“For many families, the fight to recover artwork stolen during the Holocaust has continued for generations. The HEAR Act of 2025 ensures these claims are evaluated on their merits—not dismissed because of technical legal barriers. This legislation reaffirms our nation’s commitment to justice, accountability, and historical truth,” she added.
Supporters in the Senate echoed those sentiments, highlighting the importance of ensuring that survivors and their descendants are not denied justice due to legal loopholes.
“The thousands of missing pieces of art looted from Jewish families by Hitler’s regime during the Holocaust are a painful reminder of a time when cruelty and hatred reigned,” added Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). “This legislation renews our commitment to Holocaust survivors and their families by ensuring cases are heard on their merit, offering a path to restitution and assurance that such injustices are never forgotten.”
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) reinforced the principle that American courts should remain open to those seeking rightful restitution.
“Holocaust survivors and their families deserve the opportunity to pursue claims for what was wrongfully taken from them,” said Fitzgerald. “With the House passage of this bill, we are ensuring their cases can continue to be heard in U.S. courts without being blocked by procedural loopholes.”
“As it heads to President Trump’s desk, this legislation helps make sure those still seeking to recover artwork stolen during one of history’s darkest chapters can continue pursuing justice,” he noted further.
Advocates for restitution, including World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, praised Congress for taking action to correct what they see as long-standing injustices in the art world.
“I strongly commend House and Senate leaders, as well as the sponsors of the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act Improvements of 2025 for passing this important bill through Congress today. When I led an effort to pass the original HEAR Act in 2016, I never envisioned that we would need an extension 10 years later. But it is clear that the countless artwork that was stolen from Jews during World War II by the Nazis remain wrongfully owned and hidden.”
“By eliminating the statute of limitations and other efforts to delay claimants from having their day in court, we move that much closer to reuniting stolen artwork to the rightful heirs. To the museums and collectors here in the United States that have been waiting out the clock, time is up,” he continued.
“Time is up to close this ugly chapter, which has sullied the art world, and allow justice to be served on the merits. We cannot go back and change what happened. All we can do is stop the continuation of this crime. After more than 80 years, it is time to put these ghosts to rest.”
With the bill now awaiting President Trump’s decision, supporters argue the measure represents a reaffirmation of America’s role as a defender of property rights, justice, and historical truth—principles that remain central to the nation’s constitutional foundation.