WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and a group of 35 Republican senators this week introduced the Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Law Act of 2021, a bill to protect the full and faithful implementation of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and block the Biden Administration’s efforts to subvert the law.

“Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital was a major victory for the State of Israel,” said Senator Tillis. “It’s important we protect the move and protect the work done towards achieving peace between Israel and Palestine, especially now as President Biden threatens to undermine this over-due decision. I am proud to work with my colleagues on this legislation and further our efforts to bring peace and stability to the region.”

Under the Trump Administration, the United States fully implemented the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 by formally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel on December 6, 2017, by moving the U.S. Embassy to Israel’s capital city of Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, and by closing the U.S. Consulate General for the Palestinians and merging its functions into U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem’s new Palestinian Affairs Unit (PAU) under the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s Chief of Mission authority. Prior to the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995’s full and faithful implementation, the U.S. consulate for the Palestinians had previously operated completely outside of the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s Chief of Mission authority.

In February, the White House confirmed that the United States still recognizes Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel and intends to maintain the American Embassy in the city, which came after the U.S. Senate passed the Hagerty-Inhofe Amendment to ensure the U.S. Embassy remained in Jerusalem, 97 to 3.

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