[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 155 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2202-E2203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CLARIFYING U.S. POLICY TOWARDS JERUSALEM, H.R. 2832

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 6, 1997

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today, along with Speaker Gingrich, I 
introduced legislation clarifying United States policy with respect to 
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. H.R. 2832 is a compendium of four 
important provisions that flow from Public Law 104-45, the Jerusalem 
Embassy Relocation Act. That legislation became law 2 years ago this 
week. Many of us attended the Rotunda ceremony that celebrated the 
passage of that landmark legislation, and which, regrettably, was the 
last time most of us saw Israeli Prime Minister Yitzbak Rabin before he 
was gunned down by an assassin. The law makes a statement of policy 
that ``Jerusalem should remain an undivided city . . . recognized as 
the capital of . . . Israel; and the U.S. Embassy . . . should be 
established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.''
  In furtherance of those requirements, this bill has four basic 
provisions: first, it would authorize $25 million in fiscal year 1998 
and $75 million in fiscal year 1999 for the construction of an embassy 
in Jerusalem. For those who may be unaware, in January 1989, the United 
States signed a 99-year lease with the Government of Israel at $1 per 
year for a 14 acre site in southwest Jerusalem. With the negotiations 
actively discussing going to final status talks, parallel activity 
needs to keep pace with these developments to ensure that a U.S. 
Embassy in Jerusalem is not going to be an afterthought.
  Second, no funds appropriated by the act may be expended for the 
operation of the Consulate General or other diplomatic facilities in 
Jerusalem unless it comes under the supervision of the United States 
Ambassador to Israel. This provision is a follow-on measure to previous 
congressional achievements that list the United Stats consulate in 
Jerusalem under the ``Israel'' heading in the United States Government 
booklet listing embassies, consulates, and their personnel.
  Third, that no funds appropriated by the act may be used for the 
publication of official Government documents that list countries and 
their capital cities unless the publication identifies Jerusalem as the 
capital of Israel. This provision is necessary to for the 
implementation of Public Law 104-45, and to ensure consistency of U.S. 
policies.
  Fourth, this bill requires that for those born in Jerusalem seeking a 
United States passport or other official document listing their birth, 
the place of birth shall be listed, upon request, as Jerusalem, Israel. 
Today, on passports of citizens born in the United States, the city of 
one's birth is listed. For those citizens who are naturalized the 
country of birth is listed. If you are an Israeli, born in Tel Aviv, 
your passport says Israel. But if you are an Israeli born in Jerusalem 
your United States passport says Jerusalem, not Israel. The option for 
individuals born in Jerusalem to have the place of birth in their 
passports listed as Jerusalem, Israel should be made available. It is a 
simple case of fairness, and of righting a wrong.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend your ongoing leadership on this most 
important of issues. The congressional certification of Jerusalem as 
Israel's capital must continue to be one of our highest priorities. 
According, I urge our colleagues to co-sponsor this measure at their 
earliest possible opportunity.

                               H.R. 2832

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

[[Page E2203]]

     SECTION 1. UNITED STATES POLICY WITH RESPECT TO JERUSALEM AS 
                   THE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the amounts 
     authorized to be appropriated for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 
     for ``Security and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad,'', 
     $25,000,000 for the fiscal year 1998 and $75,000,000 for the 
     fiscal year 1999 are authorized to be appropriated for the 
     construction of a United States Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel.
       (b) Limitation on Use of Funds for Consulate in 
     Jerusalem.--None of the funds authorized to be appropriated 
     by this Act should be expended for the operation of a United 
     States consulate or diplomatic facility in Jerusalem unless 
     such consulate or diplomatic facility is under the 
     supervision of the United States Ambassador to Israel.
       (c) Limitation on Use of Funds for Publications.--None of 
     the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be 
     available for the publication of any official government 
     document which lists countries and their capital cities 
     unless the publication identifies Jerusalem as the capital of 
     Israel.
       (d) Record of Place of Birth as Israel for Passport 
     Purposes.--For purposes of the registration of birth, 
     certification of nationality, or issuance of a passport of a 
     United States citizen born in the city of Jerusalem, the 
     Secretary of State shall, upon the request of the citizen, 
     record the place of birth as Israel.

     

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