[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 80 (Wednesday, June 9, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6680-S6681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RESOLUTION OF CLAIMS RELATING TO CONFISCATION OF CERTAIN PROPERTY

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign 
Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 
341, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 341) to urge the resolution of claims 
     related to the confiscation of certain property by the 
     Government of Italy.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to proceeding to the 
consideration of the resolution?
  Mr. REID. Reserving the right to object.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want the Record spread with my 
appreciation for the work done by the chairman, Senator Lugar, and the 
ranking member, Senator Biden. This is an issue that goes back to the 
days when the Italian Government was confiscating property and not in 
any way compensating those whose property was taken. This is an effort 
to rectify that situation. I cannot adequately express my appreciation 
to the committee that worked so hard on this issue and to the 
leadership of that committee. This is very important.
  This involves a prominent family from Nevada. They owned property in 
Italy. The Italian Government wrongfully confiscated the property 
decades ago, but to date, they have yet to provide compensation to the 
family.
  Adequate compensation is required under treaties we have entered into 
with Italy. This resolution simply calls upon the Italian Government to 
make an effort to satisfy this claim and encourages our State 
Department to work with the Italian Government to see that the claim is 
resolved. It is noncontroversial and does not cost one penny.
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the resolution be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 341) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 341

       Whereas the Government of the Italian Republic confiscated 
     the property of Mr. Pier Talenti, a citizen of the United 
     States, and has failed to compensate Mr. Talenti for that 
     property;
       Whereas the Government of Italy has an obligation under the 
     Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, signed at Rome 
     February 2, 1948 (63 Stat. 2255) between the United States 
     and the Italian Republic to provide compensation to Mr. 
     Talenti for the confiscated property;

[[Page S6681]]

       Whereas the failure of the Government of Italy to 
     compensate Mr. Talenti runs counter to such Government's 
     treaty obligations and to accepted international standards;
       Whereas section 1611 of H.R. 1757, 105th Congress, as 
     passed by the Senate on June 17, 1997, expressed the sense of 
     Congress that the ``Italian Republic must honor its Treaty 
     obligations with regard to the confiscated property of Mr. 
     Pier Talenti by negotiating a prompt resolution of Mr. 
     Talenti's case, and that the Department of State should 
     continue to press the Italian government to resolve Mr. 
     Talenti's claim.'';
       Whereas the Government of Italy has not responded to 
     Diplomatic Note 674 issued in 1996, urging such Government to 
     negotiate a settlement with Mr. Talenti; and
       Whereas Mr. Talenti has exhausted all legal remedies 
     available to him under the Italian judicial system and has 
     not received ``just and effective compensation'' for the 
     confiscated property from the Government of Italy as required 
     under the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, It is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the Government of Italy should--
       (A) fulfill the requirements of the Treaty of Friendship, 
     Commerce and Navigation signed at Rome February 2, 1948 (63 
     Stat. 2255) between the United States and the Italian 
     Republic with respect to the property of Mr. Pier Talenti 
     that was confiscated by such Government; and
       (B) make reasonable efforts to effect a prompt resolution 
     of Mr. Talenti's claims under such Treaty; and
       (2) the Secretary of State should--
       (A) continue to press the Government of Italy to resolve 
     Mr. Talenti's claims; and
       (B) take any further measures, including all appropriate 
     diplomatic initiatives, that the Secretary determines could 
     assist Mr. Talenti in receiving such compensation from the 
     Government of Italy.

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