Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act of 2009

Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act of 2009 - 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.

Limits appropriations that may be obligated in FY2012 for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened.

States that, for each of FY2010-FY2011, 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.

[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2737 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2737

 To relocate to Jerusalem the United States Embassy in Israel, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 5, 2009

   Mr. Brownback (for himself, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. 
Lieberman, Mr. Vitter, and Mr. Bunning) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To relocate to Jerusalem the United States Embassy in Israel, 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 Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Each sovereign nation, under international law and 
        custom, may designate its own capital.
            (2) Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 
        3,000 years.
            (3) Jerusalem has never been the capital for any other 
        state other than for the Jewish people.
            (4) Since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been the capital 
        of the State of Israel.
            (5) 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.
            (6) The city of Jerusalem is the spiritual center of 
        Judaism, and is also considered a holy city by the members of 
        other religious faiths.
            (7) 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.
            (8) In 1967, the city of Jerusalem was reunited during the 
        conflict known as the Six Day War.
            (9) Since 1967, Jerusalem has been a united city under 
        Israeli law, and persons of all religious faiths have been 
        guaranteed under Israeli law full access to holy sites within 
        the city.
            (10) 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.
            (11) 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.
            (12) United States law states as a matter of United States 
        policy that Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of 
        Israel.
            (13) Relocating the United States Embassy in Israel from 
        Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would express the continued support of 
        the United States for Israel and for an undivided Jerusalem.

SEC. 3. RELOCATION OF THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM.

    (a) Removal of Waiver Authority.--The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 
(Public Law 104-45; 109 Stat. 398) is amended--
            (1) by striking section 7; and
            (2) by redesignating section 8 as section 7.
    (b) Timetable.--Not more than 50 percent of the funds appropriated 
to the Department of State for fiscal year 2012 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.
    (c) Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011 Funding.--
            (1) Fiscal year 2010.--Of the funds authorized to be 
        appropriated for ``Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings 
        Abroad'' for the Department of State for fiscal year 2010, such 
        sums as may be necessary shall be made available until expended 
        only for construction and other costs associated with the 
        establishment of the United States Embassy in Israel in the 
        capital of Jerusalem.
            (2) Fiscal year 2011.--Of the funds authorized to be 
        appropriated for ``Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings 
        Abroad'' for the Department of State for fiscal year 2011, such 
        sums as may be necessary shall be made available until expended 
        only for construction and other costs associated with the 
        establishment of the United States Embassy in Israel in the 
        capital of Jerusalem.
    (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``United States 
Embassy'' means the offices of the United States diplomatic mission and 
the residence of the United States chief of mission.
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