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HCONRES 59 105th Congress House International Affairs Citizenship Communism Communist countries Compensation (Law) Czech Republic Europe Expropriation Fascism Foreign Trade and International Finance Foreign banks and banking Government Operations and Politics Government ownership History Immigration Jewish holocaust (1939-1945) Jews Latvia Law Lithuania

Concerning the return of or compensation for wrongly confiscated foreign properties in formerly Communist countries and by certain foreign financial institutions.

Introduced: April 9, 1997 Introduced by: Smith, Christopher H. Republican · New Jersey See on congress.gov
This resolution expired with the 105th Congress
It was not agreed to before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, so it is no longer active. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
Apr 9, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
Apr 9, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E617-618)
Apr 9, 1997
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Welcomes the efforts of many post-Communist countries to address the status of plundered properties.

Urges: (1) countries to return plundered properties to their rightful owners or, as an alternative, to pay just compensation; and (2) post-Communist countries to pass and effectively implement laws that provide for restitution of, or compensation for, plundered property.

Calls for: (1) the return of property formerly belonging to Jewish communities as a means of redressing the problems of aging and destitute survivors of the Holocaust; and (2) the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and other countries to remove restrictions which require those whose properties have been wrongfully plundered by Nazi or Communist regimes to reside in or have the citizenship of the country from which they seek restitution or compensation.

Calls upon foreign financial institutions, and the states having legal authority over their operation, that possess wrongfully and illegally property confiscated from Holocaust victims, from residents of former Warsaw Pact states who were forbidden by Communist law from obtaining restitution of such property, and from states that were occupied by Nazi, Fascist, or Communist forces, to assist and to cooperate fully with efforts to restore this property to its rightful owners.

What's happening now April 9, 1997

Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H. Con. Res. 59: Concerning the return of or compensation for wrongly confiscated foreign properties in formerly Communist countries and by certain foreign financial institutions.. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HCONRES-59/
MLA
"H. Con. Res. 59: Concerning the return of or compensation for wrongly confiscated foreign properties in formerly Communist countries and by certain foreign financial institutions.." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HCONRES-59/.
Bluebook (legal)
H. Con. Res. 59, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HCONRES-59/.
Markdown link
[H. Con. Res. 59: Concerning the return of or compensation for wrongly confiscated foreign properties in formerly Communist countries and by certain foreign financial institutions.](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HCONRES-59/)
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