Stolen Artwork Restitution Act of 1998

Summary

Stolen Artwork Restitution Act of 1998 - Authorizes the Attorney General to make grants to qualified research organizations to identify and relocate stolen artwork. Directs the Attorney General to require reports from grant recipients as necessary and to transmit an annual report to the Congress listing the recipients. (Sec. 3) Authorizes an individual to request an inquiry upon producing sufficient evidence, according to standards established by the Attorney General, that artwork was stolen from the individual or from a member of the individual's family. Requires the seller or purchaser of artwork with a sales price of $5,000 or more that has been shipped in interstate or foreign commerce, if such request is made before the sale, to undertake a documented, reasonable inquiry into the ownership history of the artwork, including obtaining information from one or more missing or stolen artwork registries. (Sec. 4) Directs the Attorney General to undertake a documented, reasonable, multisource inquiry, including obtaining information from one or more missing or stolen artwork registries to determine whether any artwork in the possession of the Government has been stolen. Sets forth reporting requirements. (Sec. 5) Expresses the sense of the Congress that: (1) a purchaser or seller of artwork who fails to undertake an inquiry required under this Act should not be permitted to assert in a court in the United States a claim, under Federal, State, or otherwise applicable law, to ownership or former ownership of the artwork; (2) all museums and auction houses should undertake documented, reasonable, multisource inquiries, including obtaining information from one or more missing or stolen artwork registries to determine whether the artwork in their possession has been stolen; (3) all governments in possession of artwork stolen from victims of the Holocaust should return that artwork to its rightful owners; and (4) parties disputing the ownership of stolen artwork should attempt to resolve their disputes by alternative means, such as by arbitration, before seeking judicial remedies. (Sec. 6) Specifies that published or unpublished literary works shall not be considered artwork for purposes of this Act. (Sec. 8) Authorizes appropriations.

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

Timeline

1. 25 June 1998

   Introduced

   Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 25 June 1998

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 25 June 1998

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 7 July 1998

   Referred

   Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

• Introduced in House · 25 June 1998 · Official file

Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 25 June 1998

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 25 June 1998

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 25 June 1998

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] · D · Sponsor
• NITA LOWEY · D · Sponsor
• Sheila Jackson Lee · D · Cosponsor
• EDDIE JOHNSON · D · Cosponsor
• Richard Neal · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Yates, Sidney R. [D-IL-9] · D · Cosponsor
• Brad Sherman · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Wexler, Robert [D-FL-19] · D · Cosponsor
• ELIOT ENGEL · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Frost, Martin [D-TX-24] · D · Cosponsor
• BOBBY RUSH · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Morella, Constance A. [R-MD-8] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] · D · Cosponsor
• Ken Calvert · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-7] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-11] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-24] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Deutsch, Peter [D-FL-20] · D · Cosponsor
• · hsju00 · Standing

Related records

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