Congress: 113 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: pro-Israel
Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).
Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for HR 252.
Sponsor: Chaffetz, Jason (R-UT)
Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act of 2013 - States that it is U.S. policy: (1) to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel, and (2) that the U.S. Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem not later than January 1, 2015. Amends the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 to eliminate the President's authority to waive certain funding limitations for Department of State acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. Requires any official U.S. document which lists countries and their capital cities to identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Limits appropriations that may be obligated in FY2015 for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened. States that for each of FY2013-FY2014, of funds authorized to be appropriated for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad, necessary sums should be made available until expended only for construction and other costs associated with the establishment in Jerusalem of the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
This bill declares it official U.S. policy to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital and requires the U.S. Embassy to relocate there by January 1, 2015. It removes the President's ability to waive restrictions on State Department funding for overseas buildings until the Jerusalem embassy opens, and dedicates specific appropriations in fiscal years 2013–2014 for the embassy's construction and establishment costs. All official U.S. documents listing countries and capitals must identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
This bill would lock in a major shift in U.S. diplomatic recognition of Jerusalem's status—a core issue in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, where final status of the city has historically been left to direct talks. The funding restrictions attempt to force executive action on a question that previous administrations left to presidential discretion.