Sens. Cruz, Cornyn Praise Unanimous Passage of the Bipartisan HEAR Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today applauded the Senate’s unanimous passage of the bipartisan Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery (HEAR) Act, which facilitates the return of artwork stolen by the Nazis during the Holocaust by ensuring that the artwork’s rightful owners or heirs get their day in court. Sens. Cruz and Cornyn, along with Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), introduced the HEAR Act in April.

“Today, we delivered a long-overdue victory for the families of Holocaust victims,” Sen. Cruz said. “This bipartisan legislation rights a terrible injustice and sends a clear signal that America will continue to root out every noxious vestige of the Nazi regime. I’m proud to have worked closely with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to empower the victims of the horrific atrocities that took place over 70 years ago and will continue to fight to bring peace and justice to these families.”

“Artwork lost during the Holocaust is not just property – to many victims and their families it is a reminder of the vanished world of their families,” Sen. Cornyn said. “I am pleased Sen. Cruz and I were able to work with our colleagues in the Senate to pass this bill and move one step closer to correcting this injustice.”

In June, Sens. Cruz and Cornyn chaired a joint subcommittee hearing on the need for the HEAR Act. Cruz also penned an op-ed in June highlighting the importance of returning Nazi-looted art to the families of Holocaust victims and calling on Congress to pass the HEAR Act.

###