Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act

Bill: 113-hr-5703
Sponsor: Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16]
Introduced: 2014-11-13 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Archaeology and anthropology
Conflicts and wars
Crime prevention
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Department of Justice
Department of State
Department of the Interior
Executive Office of the President
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign property
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Historical and cultural resources
International law and treaties
Middle East
Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers
National Archives and Records Administration
National Science Foundation
Natural disasters
Smithsonian Institution
Smuggling and trafficking
Syria
Trade restrictions
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Summary:
action_date: 2014-11-13
text: 
Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act - Directs the President to appoint a White House Coordinator for International Cultural Property Protection who shall coordinate and promote federal agency efforts to address international cultural property protection activities.
 
Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary in this Act), the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Attorney General (DOJ), and the Secretary of Defense (DOD) to submit to the Coordinator information on efforts to protect international cultural property.
 
Authorizes the Department of State, DOD, USAID, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), DOJ, the Department of the Interior, the National Archives, the National Science Foundation, and any other appropriate agency to enter into agreements with the Smithsonian Institution to engage temporarily Smithsonian personnel to assist in international cultural property protection activities.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to private individuals or organizations for international cultural property protection activities in areas at risk of destruction due to political instability, armed conflict, or natural or other disasters. 
 
Directs the President to apply specified import restrictions with respect to any archaeological or ethnological material of Syria as if Syria were a State Party to the Convention on prohibiting and preventing the illicit import, export, and transfer of ownership of cultural property (adopted by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-11-24
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
action_date: 2014-11-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Armed Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-11-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Armed Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-11-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Armed Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-11-13
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Armed Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2014-11-13
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2014-11-13
text: Introduced in House