Joe Lieberman: “I hope that this bill will gain the support of all of my colleagues in the Senate. Mr. President, Jerusalem is and…”

“I hope that this bill will gain the support of all of my colleagues in the Senate. Mr. President, Jerusalem is and always shall be the capital of Israel. Jerusalem is a unified city in which the rights of all faiths have been respected. The Embassy of the United States of America to Israel should be in that country's capital, the city of Jerusalem. Earlier this year, I joined with many of my colleagues in sending a letter to the Secretary of State encouraging the administration to begin planning for relocation of the U.S. Embassy to the city of Jerusalem. This process must move forward. The bill we are introducing today establishes U.S. policy that Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the state of Israel. The bill also establishes a timetable for construction and relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Israel in Jerusalem by May 31, 1995. The Secretary of State is required to present an implementation plan to the Senate within 30 days of enactment and provide a progress report every 6 months. The bill allocates substantial initial funding for the project--$25 million in fiscal 1996 and $75 million in fiscal 1997.”