The Foreign Relations Authorization Act
(H.R. 1646), signed by President Bush, includes the following
provisions (Sec. 214, 215):
- The Congress maintains its commitment
to relocating the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and urges the President, pursuant to the Jerusalem
Embassy Act of 1995, to immediately begin the process
of relocating the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
- No funds may be spent on the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem,
which deals mostly with Palestinian issues, until the post
comes under the supervision of the U.S. ambassador to Israel.
Currently, the U.S. consul general in Jerusalem reports
directly to the State Department.
- All federal documents listing countries and their capitals
must identify Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. American
citizens born in Jerusalem can demand that U.S. government-issued
documents, such as passports and birth certificates, identify
Israel as their birthplace.
- The Secretary of State is to report to Congress within
60 days on U.S. efforts to ensure and promote Israel's
full participation in the world diplomatic community.
The White House subsequently issued a statement
saying that it considered these provisions nonbinding and
that the administration would not implement them. The resolution,
President Bush said, "would, if construed as mandatory
rather than advisory, impermissibly interfere with the president's
constitutional authority to formulate the position of the
United States, speak for the nation in international affairs,
and determine the terms on which recognition is given to
foreign states."
The President signed the legislation to obtain the funds
for the State Department and claimed the Jerusalem provisions
were an "advisory not mandatory." The administration
maintains that Jerusalem is a "permanent status issue"
that has to be resolved between Palestinians and Israelis.