This bill became law on 2026-04-13 as Public Law No. 119-82.
The summary below describes the bill at the version we last reviewed; the enacted text may differ.
Federal law already gives Holocaust survivors and their heirs the right to sue in U.S. courts to recover art looted by the Nazis. Courts have been dismissing those cases on technical grounds — time delays, forum rules, and diplomatic doctrines — before ever hearing the merits. This law blocks courts from using those procedural escape hatches, so claims must be decided on the facts of who owns the art. It also extends jurisdiction to cases involving foreign governments that participated in Nazi persecution, regardless of the victim's nationality. Heirs with pending or future claims get a clearer path to a real hearing.
Civil Liberties
- Civil-suit access for Nazi-looted art claims — procedural and time-based dismissal defenses barred
- Retroactive reach — amendments apply to claims currently pending on appeal
Congressional Summary
Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025This act permanently extends and expands judicial authority under the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016. The law allows and establishes procedures for civil claims and causes of action to recover artwork and other property lost between 1933 and 1945 because of Nazi persecution.Among the changes, the act removes the deadline for filing civil claims or causes of action. Currently, the filing deadline is December 31, 2026. (Claims must still be filed within six years of the claimant's discovery of the property in question.)The act permits courts to exercise jurisdiction over civil claims or causes of action against a foreign state without regard to the nationality or citizenship of the alleged victim. The art or property at issue must still have a connection to the foreign state's commercial activities in the United States.Additionally, the act authorizes nationwide service of process, which allows courts to exercise personal jurisdiction over defendants in any judicial district where they may be found, reside, have an agent, or transact business.Finally, the act limits the defenses that may be asserted against civil claims or causes of action, including by prohibitingdefenses based on the passage of time, including equitable defenses such as laches (i.e., unreasonable delays); anddiscretionary bases for dismissal that are unrelated to the merits of the claim, including international comity (i.e., deference to the laws of other countries).These changes apply to pending and future civil claims or causes of action.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Public Law
- Action Date
- 2026-04-13
- Date Added
- 2026-05-28
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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