Congress Advances HEAR Act Updates for Nazi-Confiscated Art Claims
The Senate unanimously passed the HEAR Act of 2025 in December, updating the 2016 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act. The legislation clarifies the statute of limitations framework for claims involving Nazi-confiscated artwork, establishing a nationwide 6-year deadline that begins when claimants acquire actual knowledge of the artwork's identity, location, and their possessory interest. The updated proposal expressly precludes time-based legal defenses like laches, strengthening protections for claimants seeking recovery. This legislative advancement aims to ensure that claims to stolen or misappropriated Nazi property are resolved justly and fairly, aligning with the 1998 Washington Conference Principles and 2009 Terezin Declaration standards.
