House passes bill to help Holocaust survivors obtain restitution, seized assets

Measure requires State Department to report on progress of certain European countries toward return of wrongfully confiscated Holocaust-era assets

By JTA 25 April 2018, 3:41 am

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Head of the paintings department at the Louvre museum, Sebastien Allard, poses next to paintings looted by Nazis during World War II, at the Louvre museum, in Paris, Tuesday, January 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The US House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill to help Holocaust survivors and the families of victims obtain restitution or the return of Holocaust-era assets.

The measure approved Tuesday requires the State Department to report on the progress of certain European countries toward the return of or restitution for wrongfully confiscated or transferred Holocaust-era assets, including property, art and other movable property. It also requires a report specifically on progress on the resolution of claims for US citizen Holocaust survivors and family members.

The Senate unanimously approved its version of the bill in December. Lead sponsors are Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc. and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

The World Jewish Restitution Organization praised the bill’s passage. “This is a powerful statement of America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Holocaust survivors in their quest for justice,” Gideon Taylor, the WJRO chairman of operations, said in a statement.

The bill now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.