Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-117
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Heller, Dean [R-NV]
Introduced: 2015-01-07
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Appropriations

Congressional oversight

Department of State

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Government buildings, facilities, and property

Government information and archives

Israel

Middle East

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Latest action: action_date: 2015-01-07
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-01-07
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2015 </strong></p> <p> States that it is U.S. policy to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel. </p> <p> Amends the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 to eliminate the President's authority to waive certain funding limitations for Department of State acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened.</p> <p>Requires any official U.S. document which lists countries and their capital cities to identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital.</p> <p>Limits appropriations that may be obligated in FY2015 for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened.</p> <p>States that for each of FY2016-FY2017, of funds authorized to be appropriated for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad, necessary sums should be made available until expended only for construction and other costs associated with the establishment in Jerusalem of the U.S. Embassy in Israel.</p>

tv_txt: II 114th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 117 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 7, 2015 Mr. Heller (for himself and Mr. Cruz ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, to relocate to Jerusalem the United States Embassy in Israel, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2015 . 2. Recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocation of the United States embassy to Jerusalem (a) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel, both de jure and de facto. (b) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) Jerusalem must remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected as they have been by Israel since 1967; (2) every citizen of Israel should have the right to reside anywhere in the undivided city of Jerusalem; (3) the President and the Secretary of State should publicly affirm as a matter of United States policy that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital of the State of Israel; (4) the President should immediately implement the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 ( Public Law 104–45 ) and begin the process of relocating the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; and (5) United States officials should refrain from any actions that contradict United States law on this subject. (c) Amendment of Waiver Authority The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 ( Public Law 104–45 ) is amended— (1) by striking section 7; and (2) by redesignating section 8 as section 7. (d) Identification of Jerusalem on Government Documents Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any official document of the United States Government which lists countries and their capital cities shall identify Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (e) Restriction on funding subject to opening determination Not more than 50 percent of the funds appropriated to the Department of State for fiscal year 2015 for Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad may be obligated until the Secretary of State determines and reports to Congress that the United States Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. (f) Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017 Funding (1) Fiscal year 2016 Of the funds authorized to be appropriated for Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad for the Department of State for fiscal year 2016, such sums as may be necessary should be made available until expended only for construction and other costs associated with the establishment of the United States Embassy in Israel in the capital of Jerusalem. (2) Fiscal year 2017 Of the funds authorized to be appropriated for Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad for the Department of State for fiscal year 2017, such sums as may be necessary should be made available until expended only for construction and other costs associated with the establishment of the United States Embassy in Israel in the capital of Jerusalem. (g) Definition In this section, the term United States Embassy means the offices of the United States diplomatic mission and the residence of the United States chief of mission.