[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1322 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]
Calendar No. 207
104th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1322
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the relocation of the United States Embassy in Israel to
Jerusalem, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 18, 1995
Read the second time and placed on the calendar
Calendar No. 207
104th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1322
To provide for the relocation of the United States Embassy in Israel to
Jerusalem, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 13 (legislative day, October 10), 1995
Mr. Dole (for himself, Mr. Moynihan, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Inouye, Mr. D'Amato,
Mr. Helms, Mr. Brown, Mr. Mack, Mr. Specter, Mr. Bond, Mr.
Thurmond, Mr. Pressler, Mr. Faircloth, Mr. Bradley, Mr. Levin,
Mr. Gramm, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Shelby, Mr. McConnell,
Mr. Lott, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Coats, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Thomas, Mr.
Gorton, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Hollings, Mr.
Heflin, Mr. Burns, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Nickles,
Mr. Santorum, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Grams, Ms. Moseley-Braun, Mr.
Ashcroft, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Robb, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Smith, Mr.
Warner, Mr. Craig, Mr. Kempthorne, Mr. Reid, Mr. Coverdell,
Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Ford, Mr. Frist, Mr. Campbell, Mr.
Murkowski, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Roth, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Stevens,
Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Biden, Mr. Bryan, and Mr. Bennett)
introduced the following bill; which was read the first time
October 18, 1995
Read the second time and placed on the calendar
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the relocation of the United States Embassy in Israel to
Jerusalem, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Jerusalem Embassy Relocation
Implementation Act of 1995''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Each sovereign nation, under international law and
custom, may designate its own capital.
(2) Since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been the capital
of the State of Israel.
(3) The city of Jerusalem is the seat of Israel's
President, Parliament, and Supreme Court, and the site of
numerous government ministries and social and cultural
institutions.
(4) The city of Jerusalem is the spiritual center of
Judaism, and is also considered a holy city by the members of
other religious faiths.
(5) From 1948-1967, Jerusalem was a divided city and
Israeli citizens of all faiths as well as Jewish citizens of
all states were denied access to holy sites in the area
controlled by Jordan.
(6) In 1967, the city of Jerusalem was reunited during the
conflict known as the Six Day War.
(7) Since 1967, Jerusalem has been a united city
administered by Israel, and persons of all religious faiths
have been guaranteed full access to holy sites within the city.
(8) This year marks the 28th consecutive year that
Jerusalem has been administered as a unified city in which the
rights of all faiths have been respected and protected.
(9) In 1990, the Congress unanimously adopted Senate
Concurrent Resolution 106, which declares that the Congress
``strongly believes that Jerusalem must remain an undivided
city in which the rights of every ethnic religious group are
protected''.
(10) In 1992, the United States Senate and House of
Representatives unanimously adopted Senate Concurrent
Resolution 113 of the One Hundred Second Congress to
commemorate the 25th anniversary of the reunification of
Jerusalem, and reaffirming congressional sentiment that
Jerusalem must remain an undivided city.
(11) The September 13, 1993, Declaration of Principles on
Interim Self-Government Arrangements lays out a timetable for
the resolution of ``final status'' issues, including Jerusalem.
(12) The Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area
was signed May 4, 1994, beginning the five-year transitional
period laid out in the Declaration of Principles.
(13) In March of 1995, 93 members of the United States
Senate signed a letter to Secretary of State Warren Christopher
encouraging ``planning to begin now'' for relocation of the
United States Embassy to the city of Jerusalem.
(14) The United States maintains its embassy in the
functioning capital of every country except in the case of our
democratic friend and strategic ally, the State of Israel.
(15) The United States conducts official meetings and other
business in the city of Jerusalem in de facto recognition of
its status as the capital of Israel.
(16) In 1996, the State of Israel will celebrate the
3,000th anniversary of the Jewish presence in Jerusalem since
King David's entry.
SEC. 3. TIMETABLE.
(a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States
that--
(1) Jerusalem should remain an undivided city in which the
rights of every ethnic religious group are protected;
(2) Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the
State of Israel; and
(3) the United States Embassy in Israel should be relocated
to Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.
(b) Opening Determination.--Not more than 50 percent of the funds
appropriated to the Department of State for fiscal year 1999 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.
SEC. 4. FISCAL YEARS 1996 AND 1997 FUNDING.
(a) Fiscal Year 1996.--Of the funds authorized to be appropriated
for ``Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad'' for the
Department of State in fiscal year 1996, not less than $25,000,000
should be made available until expended only for construction and other
costs associated with the relocation of the United States Embassy in
Israel to the capital of Jerusalem.
(b) Fiscal Year 1997.--Of the funds authorized to be appropriated
for ``Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad'' for the
Department of State in fiscal year 1997, not less than $75,000,000
should be made available until expended only for construction and other
costs associated with the relocation of the United States Embassy in
Israel to the capital of Jerusalem.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON IMPLEMENTATION.
Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
detailing the Department of State's plan to implement this Act. Such
report shall include--
(1) estimated dates of completion for each phase of the
relocation of the United States Embassy, including site
identification, land acquisition, architectural, engineering
and construction surveys, site preparation, and construction;
and
(2) an estimate of the funding necessary to implement this
Act, including all costs associated with relocating the United
States Embassy to Jerusalem.
SEC. 6. SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.
Beginning January 1, 1996, and every six months thereafter, the
Secretary of State shall report to the Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on
the progress made toward opening the United States Embassy in
Jerusalem.
SEC. 7. DEFINITION.
As used in this Act, the term ``United States Embassy'' means the
offices of the United States diplomatic mission and the residence of
the United States chief of mission.