[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 36 (Thursday, March 10, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E451-E452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCTION OF THE JERUSALEM EMBASSY AND RECOGNITION ACT OF 2011

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                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 10, 2011

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce The Jerusalem 
Embassy and Recognition Act of 2011. This legislation closes a loophole 
that has allowed the United States Embassy in Israel to remain in Tel 
Aviv, despite the passage of the Jerusalem Embassy Act in 1995 and the 
passage of multiple resolutions (passed with overwhelming and 
bipartisan support) affirming the U.S. commitment to relocate the 
embassy to Jerusalem.
  The Jerusalem Embassy Act declared that it is the official position 
of the United States that Jerusalem is, and rightly ought to remain, 
the undivided capital of Israel. On June 4, 2008, while still serving 
as a United States Senator, President Obama pledged that: ``Jerusalem 
will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.'' 
United States officials do conduct diplomatic meetings and other 
business in the city of Jerusalem in de facto recognition of its status 
as the capital of Israel, but the Embassy remains firmly grounded in 
Tel Aviv.
  Despite this declaration of support and due to presidential waivers, 
the United States has failed to carry out our promise to our Israeli 
friends and has never acted to move the United States Embassy from Tel 
Aviv to Jerusalem. Every sovereign country has the right to designate 
its own capital and the United States maintains its Embassy in the 
functioning capital of every country. Why is it then that we continue 
to delay the relocation of this, our most important embassy in the 
Middle East?
  Not only have we not relocated the embassy but our President has 
seemingly weakened the United States' resolve to do so. Presidential 
Determination 2011-6, which was transmitted by the Administration to 
Congress just a few months ago, renewed a legally required waiver which 
allows the Administration to suspend the 1995 law requiring the U.S. 
Embassy in Israel to move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. While the renewal 
of the waiver was not unexpected or unusual, the Obama Administration 
once again neglected to include a key sentence that the previous 
Administration had included in previous determinations; specifically: 
``My Administration remains committed to beginning the process of 
moving our embassy to Jerusalem.''

[[Page E452]]

  During such an unstable time in the Middle East, it is more important 
that ever that the United States and this Congress stand firmly behind 
Israel. From the recent unrest in Egypt and the collapse of the 
Lebanese government, to the threat of Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and many 
other anti-Israel terrorist groups, Israel is constantly facing new 
challenges to maintaining its sovereignty and security. We must show 
that we are dedicated to our alliance and fulfill the commitments that 
we have made. In a country where security is an elusive goal, Israel 
should be secure in knowing that the United States will deliver on its 
promises.
  I believe it is well past time to revisit the Jerusalem Embassy Act 
and close, once and for all, the loophole that has continued to allow 
the diplomatic embarrassment of not having our Embassy located in the 
capital city of Israel to continue for ten years. That is why I, along 
with a number of bi-partisan co-sponsors, am reintroducing this bill 
which mandates the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, and 
reaffirms U.S. policy that Jerusalem must remain the undivided capital 
of Israel.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to co-sponsor this important bill.

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