The following plea for support of HR 2009 (the Iraq Cultural Heritage Protection Act) comes from Ellen Herscher, Chair of the Cultural Property Legislation and Policy Committee, Archaeological Institute of America. To read the full HR 2009, click here and type in 'HR 2009' in the Bill Number search box.


Please contact your Congressman immediately and urge him/her to become a co-sponsor of HR 2009, the "Iraq Cultural Heritage Protection Act," sponsored by Congressmen Phil English of Pennysylvania and Jim Leach of Iowa.

For information on how to phone or email your Member of Congress, click here.

HR 2009 would ban the import into the U.S. of any cultural material coming from Iraq. The objective is to discourage further looting of Iraq's cultural heritage by shutting down a major market for such material, and to aid the return of already looted material by providing authority to Customs to seize such items. The bill also includes amendments to existing law that would make it easier for authorities to quickly impose restrictions in similar situations in the future.

The Administration is moving rapidly to remove the existing comprehensive UN sanctions on trade with Iraq, so the need to pass this bill is urgent. If numerous co-sponsors can be signed on, it will speed the bill's passage.

Please encourage your institutions, colleagues, and friends to contact their Member of Congress as well. A Senate version of the bill has not yet been introduced, but should be within a day or two: that bill number will be circulated when it is available. Thank you for your help.