Helen Mirren to Testify on Recovering Nazi-Plundered Art

Helen Mirren is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday on art stolen by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Yes, that Helen Mirren -- the only woman over 65 who still gets romantic roles in Hollywood. She was in a movie last year about Nazi art, specifically Gustav Klimt’s “Woman in Gold” painting. That appears to be pretty much her entire résumé on the subject.

Mirren will be testifying about the Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, a bill which would change the statute of limitations for making a claim to recover art stolen by Nazis during the Holocaust. Under the bill, a person seeking to recover art or damages would have six years from the time that they discover where the art is, who has it, or that they have a right to the art. Different U.S. states (not to mention foreign countries) currently have different statutes of limitations, but a U.S. court has ruled that the federal government has exclusive authority over foreign affairs, pressing Congress to enact federal legislation. 

Congress loves to invite celebrities as witnesses. Back when Stephen Colbert was still host of the Colbert Report, he testified before a House committee in character about migrant farm workers. His qualification for giving expert testimony on the subject? The one day he spent picking vegetables at a farm in upstate New York.

Ben Affleck has given expert testimony several times about the Democratic Republic of Congo. Elmo (yes, the Muppet) asked Congress for more funding for school music education programs (and ate the microphone). 

Other stars have testified on issues that they have a direct stake in: Michael J. Fox has spoken about Parkinson’s research, and Chuck D gave testimony about peer-to-peer music sharing. In 1969, Mr. Rogers asked Congress not to cut the PBS budget.