Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025
U.S. Congress · S1884 ·
What the bill says
Introduced 2025-05-22. Latest action: Became Public Law No: 119-82.
Summary (plain-language)
Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025 This 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 prohibiting defenses based on the passage of time, including equitable defenses such as laches (i.e., unreasonable delays); and discretionary 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.
Sponsors
- John Cornyn (primary)
- Marsha Blackburn
- Richard Blumenthal
- Cory A. Booker
- Katie Boyd Britt
- Christopher A. Coons
- Ted Cruz
- Richard J. Durbin
- John Fetterman
- Lindsey Graham
- Chuck Grassley
- Kirsten E. Gillibrand
- Bernie Moreno
- David McCormick
- Jacky Rosen
- Adam B. Schiff
- Elissa Slotkin
- Rick Scott
- Eric Schmitt
- Thom Tillis
- Raphael G. Warnock
- Peter Welch
Text versions
What analysts say
CBO cost estimates
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S. 1884, Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2025
— 2026-02-05
As passed by the Senate on December 10, 2025
Full estimate published at cbo.gov; it will appear here once an archived or committee-report copy is available.
What politicians say
No linked claims or utterances yet — no one on record has cited this measure to justify a public argument.
Action History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | Signed by President. |
| 2026-04-13 | Became Public Law No: 119-82. |
| 2026-04-02 | Presented to President. |
| 2026-03-16 | Ms. Lee (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. |
| 2026-03-16 | Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2497-2500) |
| 2026-03-16 | DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1884. |
| 2026-03-16 | Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2497) |
| 2026-03-16 | On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2497) |
| 2026-03-16 | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. |
| 2025-12-11 | Message on Senate action sent to the House. |
| 2025-12-11 | Received in the House. |
| 2025-12-11 | Held at the desk. |
| 2025-12-10 | Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. |
| 2025-12-10 | Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8628-8629; text: CR S8629) |
| 2025-11-18 | Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with amendments. Without written report. |
| 2025-11-18 | Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 271. |
| 2025-11-06 | Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably. |
| 2025-05-22 | Introduced in Senate |
| 2025-05-22 | Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. |
Lobbying on this bill
Showing 9 of 9 bill mentions.
Honesty note: each filer below disclosed lobbying on this bill — that much the filing tells us. But the dollar figure is their total lobbying spend for the whole quarter across all their issues, not the amount spent on this bill, and the filing never says whether they supported or opposed it.
| Registrant (lobbying firm) | Client | Period | Reported quarterly amount | Extraction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CORCORAN & ASSOCIATES, INC. DBA CORCORAN PARTNERS | ART RESTITUTION TO ASSIST SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST EMERGENCY SERVICES FDN. | Q2 2026 | $20,000 | |
| ACG ADVOCACY | ART ASHES | Q2 2026 | $30,000 | |
| ACG ADVOCACY | ART ASHES | Q1 2026 | $50,000 | |
| CORCORAN & ASSOCIATES, INC. DBA CORCORAN PARTNERS | ART RESTITUTION TO ASSIST SURVIVORS OF THE HOLOCAUST EMERGENCY SERVICES FDN. | Q1 2026 | $30,000 | |
| ACG ADVOCACY | ART ASHES | Q1 2026 | $50,000 | |
| MAYER BROWN LLP | WORLD JEWISH RESTITUTION ORGANIZATION | Q1 2026 | not reported | |
| ARENTFOX SCHIFF LLP | FEDERAL BAR ASSOCIATION | Q1 2026 | $60,000 | |
| WORLD JEWISH RESTITUTION ORGANIZATION | WORLD JEWISH RESTITUTION ORGANIZATION | Q1 2026 | not reported | |
| REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION | REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION | Q1 2026 | $100,000 |
Source: Senate LDA filings.