House Passes Bill To Ease Recovery of Nazi-Looted Art

Legislation aimed at making it easier for heirs of Holocaust victims to recover Nazi-looted artwork passed the House of Representatives on Monday, despite concerns from some U.S. museums and European stakeholders that the measure could limit legal defenses used in past cases.

The bill would extend the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016, which is set to expire at the end of the year.

The 2016 law was intended to address situations in which museums and other institutions blocked restitution claims by relying on statutes of limitations. It allows heirs to file claims within six years of discovering or identifying stolen artwork, the New York Times reported.

In the years since the law’s passage, courts have at times ruled that the passage of decades made it difficult for current owners — including major museums — to defend against claims. The new legislation seeks to address that issue by limiting the use of time-based defenses.