Jerusalem's Enhanced and Secure Accommodations Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3547
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Issa, Darrell E. [R-CA-49]
Introduced: 2017-07-28
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Alliances

Arab-Israeli relations

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Israel

Middle East

Palestinians
Latest action: action_date: 2017-07-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-07-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Jerusalem's Enhanced and Secure Accommodations Act of 2017</b></p> <p>This bill authorizes the Department of State to establish a permanent residence for the U.S. Ambassador to Israel in Jerusalem. Such residence may be located at the U.S. Consulate or at a different location in Jerusalem, as the State Department determines appropriate. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3547 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 28, 2017 Mr. Issa (for himself, Mr. Vargas , Mrs. Noem , Mr. Allen , and Mr. Flores ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To authorize the Secretary of State to establish a permanent residence in Jerusalem, Israel, for the United States Ambassador to Israel, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Jerusalem’s Enhanced and Secure Accommodations Act of 2017 . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The United States was among the first countries to recognize Israel as an independent nation on May 14, 1948, and over the decades, Israel has remained one of America’s strong allies. (2) The first United States Ambassador to Israel was James Grover McDonald in March 1949. (3) The United States Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, opened in 1966 to maintain and promote diplomatic relations between the two countries. (4) The United States maintains a Consulate General in Jerusalem. (5) The United States Embassy in Israel remains the only United States Embassy not located in a country’s capital city, even though the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 ( Public Law 104–45 ) directed the United States Embassy to be relocated in Jerusalem by May 31, 1999, and the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 ( Public Law 107–228 ) urged the President to begin relocating the embassy immediately , every President since 1995 has signed a waiver in the interest of national security to delay the move of the embassy. (6) The United States Ambassador has a residence in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv; however, for decades, ambassadors have spent a significant amount of their time in Jerusalem. For convenience and security, many of them have established their own temporary residences and have held official business meetings and stayed in hotels in Jerusalem. 3. Statement of Congress Congress— (1) reaffirms that Israel is a major strategic partner of the United States; and (2) expresses support for individuals and organizations working to encourage cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians to bring an end to the conflict. 4. Permanent residence for United States ambassador to Israel (a) In general The Secretary of State is authorized, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to establish in Jerusalem, Israel, a permanent residence for the United States ambassador to Israel. (b) Location The permanent residence described in subsection (a) may be located at the United States consulate in Jerusalem, Israel, or at a different location in Jerusalem, as the Secretary of State determines appropriate.