Rubio Bill Restores Holocaust Survivors' Rights

Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) has introduced a bill that would restore Holocaust survivors' rights. The bill seeks to address that facts that Holocaust survivors and their descendants have not been able to recover their unpaid pre-Holocaust insurance policies.

Along with Florida Senator Rick Scott (R), Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen (D), and North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer (R), Senator Rubio introduced the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act. According to a press release from his office, the bill "would allow beneficiaries of Holocaust-era insurance policies to bring civil action in U.S. district courts against the insurer for the covered policy to recover proceeds due or otherwise enforce any rights under the policy."

This effort dates back to 2011 when Rubio first introduced the bill with then-Senator Bill Nelson (D).

In a statement, Sen. Rubio urged Congress to "continue to do everything it can to ensure the unresolved issue of Holocaust-era property restitution is finally realized," adding that "it is unthinkable that a large number of Holocaust-era insurance claims remain unpaid."

The Florida Republican expressed that "it is far past time that survivors and their families retrieve what they are rightfully owed."

Senator Scott echoed his remarks, commenting in a statement that "the Holocaust is more than a history lesson, it is a stark reminder that even and hate exist in this world. Our memory and support of all of those who suffered must never weaken."

In the House, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) and Tennessee Rep. David Kustoff (R) have introduced the companion legislation.

Rep. Wassermann Schultz praised the bill, saying that "Holocaust victims and their families – not insurance companies – are the ones who should be heirs to unpaid policies that were set aside for times of trouble. This legislation would restore the rights of families whose loved ones endured the worst that humanity can inflict on a people.”