[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 95 (Monday, June 5, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3238-S3239]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
S. RES. 176
Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of S. Res. 176,
which was just adopted by the Senate.
This important resolution reaffirms the Jerusalem Embassy Act of
1995, which recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by moving the
U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
As many of my colleagues know, this week marks 50 years since
Jerusalem was unified during the Six-Day War, and I am pleased to have
joined Leader McConnell and Senator Schumer as an original cosponsor of
this resolution to commemorate this important anniversary. I thank them
for their leadership on this issue, and I am proud to stand beside them
in our commitment to one of our oldest and strongest allies, Israel.
This resolution sends a message to our friends in Israel, and that
message is this: We support moving our Embassy from Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem.
Let me explain why this issue is so important to me.
It has been 22 years since the Jerusalem Embassy Act became law.
However, our country's promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem is
yet to be fulfilled. It has been 22 years, and we still have not moved
our Embassy. We have had 22 years to enforce this law, and year after
year we continue to turn a blind eye to what we are expected--and what
we promised--to do. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, and that is
where the U.S. Embassy should be located. Now is the time to move the
Embassy as we committed to do so many years ago.
By the way, many Nevadans feel the same way I do. One Nevadan who
supports relocating the Embassy said in a letter to me:
It is never wrong to do the right thing. And moving our
embassy to Jerusalem is the right thing to do.
As we commemorate the reunification of Jerusalem, I encourage my
colleagues to honor our commitment and to show Israel, one of our
oldest and closest allies, that we stand with them today more than
ever.
Today's vote represents an important step in the right direction, and
I encourage my colleagues to join me in finally enacting what is
current law.
[[Page S3239]]
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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