II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2737 

To relocate to Jerusalem the United States Embassy in Israel, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 5, 2009 

Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. KYL, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. 

LIEBERMAN, Mr. VITTER, and Mr. BUNNING) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To relocate to Jerusalem the United States Embassy in 

Israel, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Jerusalem Embassy 

5 Relocation Act of 2009’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) Each sovereign nation, under international 

9 law and custom, may designate its own capital. 


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1 (2) Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jew2 ish people for 3,000 years. 

3 (3) Jerusalem has never been the capital for 

4 any other state other than for the Jewish people. 

5 (4) Since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been 

6 the capital of the State of Israel. 

7 (5) The city of Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s 

8 President, Parliament, and Supreme Court, and the 

9 site of numerous government ministries and social 

10 and cultural institutions. 

11 (6) The city of Jerusalem is the spiritual center 

12 of Judaism, and is also considered a holy city by the 

13 members of other religious faiths. 

14 (7) From 1948–1967, Jerusalem was a divided 

15 city and Israeli citizens of all faiths as well as Jew16 ish citizens of all states were denied access to holy 

17 sites in the area controlled by Jordan. 

18 (8) In 1967, the city of Jerusalem was reunited 

19 during the conflict known as the Six Day War. 

20 (9) Since 1967, Jerusalem has been a united 

21 city under Israeli law, and persons of all religious 

22 faiths have been guaranteed under Israeli law full 

23 access to holy sites within the city. 

24 (10) The United States maintains its embassy 

25 in the functioning capital of every country except in 


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1 the case of our democratic friend and strategic ally, 

2 the State of Israel. 

3 (11) The United States conducts official meet4 ings and other business in the city of Jerusalem in 

5 de facto recognition of its status as the capital of 

6 Israel. 

7 (12) United States law states as a matter of 

8 United States policy that Jerusalem should be the 

9 undivided capital of Israel. 

10 (13) Relocating the United States Embassy in 

11 Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would express the 

12 continued support of the United States for Israel 

13 and for an undivided Jerusalem. 

14 SEC. 3. RELOCATION OF THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY TO 

15 JERUSALEM. 

16 (a) REMOVAL OF WAIVER AUTHORITY.—The Jeru17 salem Embassy Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–45; 109 

18 Stat. 398) is amended— 

19 (1) by striking section 7; and 

20 (2) by redesignating section 8 as section 7. 

21 (b) TIMETABLE.—Not more than 50 percent of the 

22 funds appropriated to the Department of State for fiscal 

23 year 2012 for ‘‘Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings 

24 Abroad’’ may be obligated until the Secretary of State deVerDate Nov 24 2008 03:52 Nov 06, 2009 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2737.IS S2737

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1 termines and reports to Congress that the United States 

2 Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. 

3 (c) FISCAL YEARS 2010 AND 2011 FUNDING.— 

4 (1) FISCAL YEAR 2010.—Of the funds author5 ized to be appropriated for ‘‘Acquisition and Mainte6 nance of Buildings Abroad’’ for the Department of 

7 State for fiscal year 2010, such sums as may be nec8 essary shall be made available until expended only 

9 for construction and other costs associated with the 

10 establishment of the United States Embassy in 

11 Israel in the capital of Jerusalem. 

12 (2) FISCAL YEAR 2011.—Of the funds author13 ized to be appropriated for ‘‘Acquisition and Mainte14 nance of Buildings Abroad’’ for the Department of 

15 State for fiscal year 2011, such sums as may be nec16 essary shall be made available until expended only 

17 for construction and other costs associated with the 

18 establishment of the United States Embassy in 

19 Israel in the capital of Jerusalem. 

20 (d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘United 

21 States Embassy’’ means the offices of the United States 

22 diplomatic mission and the residence of the United States 

23 chief of mission. 

Æ 


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