[115th Congress Public Law 171]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[[Page 132 STAT. 1288]]
Public Law 115-171
115th Congress
An Act
To require reporting on acts of certain foreign countries on Holocaust
era assets and related issues. <<NOTE: May 9, 2018 - [S. 447]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Justice for
Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act of 2017.>>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Justice for Uncompensated Survivors
Today (JUST) Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. REPORT ON HOLOCAUST ERA ASSETS AND RELATED ISSUES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Covered countries.--The term ``covered countries'' means
participants in the 2009 Holocaust Era Assets Conference that
are determined by the Secretary of State, or the Secretary's
designee, in consultation with expert nongovernmental
organizations, to be countries of particular concern relative to
the issues listed in subsection (b).
(3) Wrongfully seized or transferred.--The term ``wrongfully
seized or transferred'' includes confiscations, expropriations,
nationalizations, forced sales or transfers, and sales or
transfers under duress during the Holocaust era or the period of
Communist rule of a covered country.
(b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to
the appropriate congressional committees that assesses and describes the
nature and extent of national laws and enforceable policies of covered
countries regarding the identification and the return of or restitution
for wrongfully seized or transferred Holocaust era assets consistent
with, and evaluated with respect to, the goals and objectives of the
2009 Holocaust Era Assets Conference, including--
(1) the return to the rightful owner of any property,
including religious or communal property, that was wrongfully
seized or transferred;
(2) if return of any property described in paragraph (1) is
no longer possible, the provision of comparable substitute
[[Page 132 STAT. 1289]]
property or the payment of equitable compensation to the
rightful owner in accordance with principles of justice and
through an expeditious claims-driven administrative process that
is just, transparent, and fair;
(3) in the case of heirless property, the provision of
property or compensation to assist needy Holocaust survivors, to
support Holocaust education, and for other purposes;
(4) the extent to which such laws and policies are
implemented and enforced in practice, including through any
applicable administrative or judicial processes; and
(5) to the extent practicable, the mechanism for and an
overview of progress toward the resolution of claims for United
States citizen Holocaust survivors and United States citizen
family members of Holocaust victims.
(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that after the
submission of the report described in subsection (b), the Secretary of
State should continue to report to Congress on Holocaust era assets and
related issues in a manner that is consistent with the manner in which
the Department of State reported on such matters before the date of the
enactment of the Act.
Approved May 9, 2018.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 447:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 163 (2017):
Dec. 12, considered and passed
Senate.
Vol. 164 (2018):
Apr. 24, considered and passed
House.
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