H.R. 4235 · Where this bill is now
Became law through another bill
Its text was included in S. 1884, Public Law 119-82 (per the Congressional Research Service). This bill number itself: In committee.
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryMakes it easier to recover Nazi-stolen art
Ever wondered how people recover artwork stolen during the Holocaust. This bill changes the rules for lawsuits trying to get that property back. It removes the deadline for filing these cases, makes it easier for courts to take them on, and prevents defendants from using time delays or certain legal technicalities as excuses to get cases thrown out.
How it affects you
This mainly affects Holocaust survivors, their heirs, and other victims of Nazi persecution who are trying to recover artwork or property that was lost. For them, the changes mean more time to file a claim and a better chance that courts will actually hear their cases instead of dismissing them on legal grounds unrelated to whether the property was actually theirs.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jun 27, 2025)
This bill 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 bill 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 bill 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 bill 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 bill 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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 4235
A BILL
To clarify the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act of 2016, to appropriately limit the application of defenses based on the passage of time and other non-merits defenses to claims under that Act.
Sponsor: Rep. Laurel M. Lee (R-FL-15) · Introduced Jun 27, 2025 · Law · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 27, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.”