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.
The measure, which passed the Senate unanimously in December, now heads to President Donald Trump for consideration. A White House spokesperson declined to comment on whether the president will sign the bill. It was introduced in the House by Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.).
“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.
“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.”
“Holocaust survivors and their families deserve the opportunity to pursue claims for what was wrongfully taken from them,” said Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis). “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.
“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 artworks that were stolen from Jews during World War II by the Nazis remain wrongfully owned and hidden,” said Ronald Lauder, President of World Jewish Congress.
“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 with 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.”