MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2017 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Bell (21st), Arnold, Aguirre, Bain, Carpenter, Formby, Gipson, Massengill, Roberson, Snowden, Steverson, Tullos, Turner
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THE JERUSALEM EMBASSY ACT OF 1995, AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF RELOCATING THE UNITED STATES EMBASSY IN ISRAEL TO JERUSALEM.
WHEREAS, in recognition of one of our nation's closest allies, the Congress of the United States passed the "Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995," which would require the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and locate the United States Embassy in Israel in the city no later than May 31, 1999; and
WHEREAS, as part of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, Congress authorized the President of the United States to suspend the requirement to locate the embassy in Jerusalem if the President determines that such suspension is necessary to protect the national security interests of the United States; and
WHEREAS, since the act's passage, every President has used his waiver authority and suspended the relocation requirement; and
WHEREAS, as Congress found in the act, this Legislature finds that Jerusalem should remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic and religious group are protected as they have been by Israel since 1967 and that Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and
WHEREAS, the City of Jerusalem is the spiritual center of Judaism, and is also considered a holy city by the members of other religious faiths; and
WHEREAS, each sovereign nation, under international law and custom, has the authority to designate its own capital, and since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been the capital of the State of Israel:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby urge the President of the United States, to immediately implement the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, and begin the process of relocating the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be furnished to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.