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H.R.5703 / 113th Congress

Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Nov 13, 2014

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.

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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).

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Who introduced it

Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16] · D–NY

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
  • Armed Services Committee
  • Ways and Means Committee
  • Foreign Affairs Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Introduced in House

  7. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

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Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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