The Antiquities Coalition Applauds Senate’s Passage of the Protect and Preserve Cultural International Cultural Property Act (H.R. 1493/S. 1887)
April 19, 2016
The Antiquities Coalition Applauds Senate’s Passage of the Protect and Preserve Cultural International Cultural Property Act (H.R. 1493/S. 1887)
Bill’s passage Advances U.S. Leadership in the Fight Against Cultural Crimes
WASHINGTON, DC (April 14, 2016): The Antiquities Coalition applauds the Senate’s passage of the Protect and Preserve Cultural International Cultural Property Act (H.R. 1493/S. 1887). The Bill imposes increased restrictions on the trafficking of looted Syrian artifacts and advances efforts to protect cultural property around the world. It was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent, demonstrating that bipartisan consensus exists for America to play a leading role in the global fight against looting and other cultural crimes. This support is rooted in the understanding that the trafficking of blood antiquities is strongly linked to terrorism and other transnational crimes including arms and drug trafficking.
“As the United States is both a target of terrorism and a major destination for stolen antiquities, it is a national security imperative to disrupt illicit antiquities trafficking,” said Deborah Lehr, Chairman of the Antiquities Coalition. “We look forward to the final passage of this bill by the Congress as an integral part of enhanced and coordinated strategy by the U.S. government to crack down on blood antiquities and cultural crimes.”
The Antiquities Coalition is a nonprofit organization leading the global fight against cultural racketeering and cultural cleansing worldwide. The Bill’s passage came on the same day that the Antiquities Coalition, together with the Asia Society and the Middle East Institute released #CultureUnderThreat: Recommendations for the U.S. Government. The Report calls on Congress to expeditiously pass H.R. 1493/S. 1887, along with 30 other proposed steps for the Administration, Congress, United Nations, and art market. It was compiled by a Task Force comprised of experts in the heritage, law enforcement, national security, business, and technology communities. The report is the first ever comprehensive action plan issued to confront the growing threats that cultural racketeering and cultural cleansing represent to heritage and to national security.
The Antiquities Coalition congratulates S. 1887’s sponsor, Senator Casey, as well as its cosponsors Senators Grassley, Perdue, Coons, and Peters, on this important step.