Political Quotes

“I strongly support H.R. 4086, the ``Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act,'' as amended. This is a bipartisan bill that the Judiciary Committee ordered favorably reported by voice vote. This bill contains a narrowly tailored fix to the expropriation exception of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 that would clarify that the exception is not available in cases where: artwork or a cultural object is imported into the United States for temporary exhibit or display pursuant to an agreement between a foreign state that owns or has custody of the work and a U.S. cultural or educational institution; the work has been granted immunity from seizure by the President pursuant to the Immunity from Seizure Act because it is of cultural significance and its temporary exhibit or display is in the national interest; and the President's determination has been published pursuant to IFSA. The bill also clarifies that its provisions do not apply to Nazi-era claims regarding the ownership of art or cultural objects. In short, this bill immunizes foreign states from lawsuits that seek damages for artwork that is already immune from seizure pursuant to a Presidential determination when the work is in the U.S. for temporary exhibition. I am an original cosponsor of this bill for several reasons. First, H.R. 4086 will make the FSIA consistent with the purpose underlying the Immunity from Seizure Act.…”