PoliticalRepoPoliticalRepo

United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 4086 (112th)

Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

24 February 2012

Last action

20 March 2012 · Introduced

Status

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

STEVE CHABOT, JOHN CONYERS, LAMAR SMITH, Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

10 August 2026

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act - Amends the federal judicial code with respect to denial of a foreign state's immunity from the jurisdiction of U.S. or state courts (under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act) in cases where rights in property taken in violation of international law are in issue and that property (or any property exchanged for it) is: (1) present in the United States in connection with a commercial activity carried on by the foreign state in the United States; or (2) owned by an agency or instrumentality of the foreign state, and that agency or instrumentality is engaged in a commercial activity in the United States. Prohibits consideration as a commercial activity (excluded from jurisdictional immunity) of any activity in the United States of a foreign state, or of any carrier, associated with a temporary exhibition or display if: (1) the work of art (or other object of cultural significance) in question is imported into the United States from any foreign country pursuant to an agreement for its temporary exhibition or display between a foreign state that is its owner or custodian and the United States or cultural or educational institutions within it; and (2) the President has determined, with notice in the Federal Register, that such work is culturally significant and its temporary exhibition or display is in the national interest. (Thus grants jurisdictional immunity to the foreign state and associated carrier for such works.) Denies application of this prohibition to cases in which: (1) the civil action filed is based upon a claim that the work was taken in Europe in violation of international law by the Nazi government of Germany or governments occupied, assisted, or allied by the Nazi government between January 30, 1933, and May 8, 1945; (2) the court determines that the activity associated with the exhibition or display is commercial; and (3) that determination is necessary for the court to exercise jurisdiction over the foreign state.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 24 February 2012

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 24 February 2012

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 24 February 2012

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 28 February 2012

    Reported

    Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

    Source: Committee

  5. 28 February 2012

    Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  6. 19 March 2012

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  7. 19 March 2012

    Passed

    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1370)

    Source: Floor

  8. 19 March 2012

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1370)

    Source: Floor

  9. 19 March 2012

    Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4086.

    Source: Floor

  10. 19 March 2012

    Floor

    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1370-1372)

    Source: Floor

  11. 19 March 2012

    Floor

    Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

    Source: Floor

  12. 19 March 2012

    Calendars

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 285.

    Source: Calendars

  13. 19 March 2012

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 112-413.

    Source: Committee

  14. 19 March 2012

    Reported

    Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 112-413.

    Source: Committee

  15. 20 March 2012

    Introduced

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

10 official files

Referred in Senate (text)

View fileDownload file

Sponsors

Related records

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.