Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025
This bill helps Holocaust victims and their heirs recover art and property lost to Nazi persecution by ensuring U.S. lawsuits are decided on their merits rather than dismissed on legal technicalities. It prohibits courts from dismissing claims based on the passage of time—such as rules regarding long-term ownership or delays in filing—as well as international relations doctrines like the act of state defense. It also allows victims to sue foreign governments in U.S. courts regardless of their nationality at the time of the theft, applying to both pending cases and new lawsuits.
What this bill touches.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Victims of Nazi persecution and their heirsPermanently preserves their ability to bring legal claims for Nazi-looted art, allows lawsuits against foreign governments regardless of victim citizenship, authorizes nationwide service of legal papers, and bars courts from dismissing timely claims based on time-related defenses (such as laches) or procedural doctrines (such as forum non conveniens or act of state).
Who it burdens
- Current possessors and defendants of disputed Nazi-looted artLose the ability to raise time-based defenses (such as laches, adverse possession, or usucapion) and non-merits procedural dismissals (such as act of state, forum non conveniens, or international comity) in pending and future lawsuits to recover Nazi-looted art, and can be served court papers in any U.S. judicial district where they reside, are located, or do business.
- Foreign governments holding property lost to Nazi persecutionSubject to U.S. court jurisdiction and property recovery claims under the expropriation exception to sovereign immunity regardless of the victim's nationality or citizenship, overcoming the domestic takings rule in Nazi persecution claims.
The provisions, in plain language.
Allows lawsuits against foreign governments to recover property lost to Nazi persecution under the expropriation exception to foreign sovereign immunity, regardless of the victim's nationality or citizenship.
Prohibits courts from dismissing timely claims to recover Nazi-looted art based on time-related legal defenses (such as laches or adverse possession) or non-merits procedural doctrines (such as act of state, international comity, or forum non conveniens), applying to all pending and future cases.
Authorizes nationwide service of process in Nazi-looted art lawsuits, allowing plaintiffs to serve legal papers in any U.S. judicial district where a defendant resides, is located, has an agent, or transacts business.
Repeals the expiration date of the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, making the federal legal framework for recovering Nazi-looted art permanent.