House Acts To Prevent Cultural Property Trafficking
Press Release
--Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08), chairman of the House Task Force to Investigate Terrorism Financing, joined the House in passing a bipartisan bill designed to improve enforcement against trafficking in cultural property and preventing stolen or illicit property from financing terrorist and criminal networks.
"Terrorist networks and criminal enterprises smuggle antiquities from world heritage sites and sell them on the black market to fund their terror activities," said Fitzpatrick. "This bill combats their fundraising efforts by improving law enforcement's tools to effectively detain and seize cultural property illegally entering the United States."
Fitzpatrick added, While ISIS is not the first to loot, smuggle, and destroy the arts and antiquities, it has institutionalized and intensified the practice. They sell what they can and destroy the rest."
The bill, Preventing Trafficking in Cultural Property Act [H.R. 2285], declares the policy of the United States to:
· Ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enhance and unify their efforts to interdict, detain, seize, and investigate cultural property illegally imported into the United States.
· Disrupt and dismantle smuggling and trafficking networks engaged in illegal trade in cultural property
· Protect cultural property pursuant to U.S. obligations under international convention.
Fitzpatrick's task force held a hearing on April 19, 2016 entitled "Preventing Cultural Genocide: Countering the Plunder and Sale of Priceless Cultural Antiquities by ISIS." Witnesses stressed that the lack of regulation and transparency in the arts and antiquity industry, compared to other sectors, provides opportunities to terrorists and criminals. One measure to combat this type of illicit activity would be making antiquity looting an intelligence and law enforcement a priority. Additionally, the Task Force discussed the necessity of improved information sharing and coordination between government agencies, foreign partners and the private sector.
H.R. 2285, which emerged from the Ways and Means committee, seeks to accomplish Task Force goals with respect to combating illegal cultural property trade.
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