Charles Schumer’s Co-Sponsorship of Senate Bill 2212 Could Signal Movement

The federal register this week noted the addition on November 27, 2012 of Charles Schumer, New York’s senior Senator, as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 2212, the Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act, the proposed amendment to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act that would exempt from the FSIA the loan of certain cultural objects as a basis to invoke U.S. federal court jurisdiction.  The bill has already been passed by the House of Representatives.  After passage in march and referral to the Senate Judiciary Committee (on which it should be noted, Schumer sits), their has been no news of the bill’s progress. 

Schumer’s co-sponsorship could be a sign that movement is coming, even perhaps in the form of hearings before the committee.  The Art Law Report continues to monitor the developments.