After months of delay and debate, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to prohibit the import of all art and antiquities originating from Syria, reports the New York Times.

A resolution of the United Nations Security Council will be upheld with the new law, which will possibly close a loophole and help stem the looting of ancient sites and objects to fund the operations of Islamic State and other extremist groups.

The law is a step ahead for cultural heritage protection as voiced by the #CultureUnderThreat Task Force made up of experts from the Asia Society, the Antiquities Coalition, and the Middle East Institute.

“Cultural crimes are closely linked to security threats, including transnational organized crime, money laundering, and international terrorist financing,” a recent report by the task froce stated. “Looting is as old as civilization. Yet in today’s Middle East, this destruction is taking place on an industrial scale, driven by a multi-billion dollar demand for ancient art.”