ExecutiveOrdersEO
DetDeterminationObama · D

Presidential Determination

Suspension of Limitations Under the Jerusalem Embassy Act

President Obama suspended for six months the spending limitations in the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 that would have restricted U.S. funding for maintaining the embassy in Tel Aviv rather than moving it to Jerusalem. The suspension was justified as necessary to protect U.S. national security interests, with the Secretary of State directed to transmit the determination and accompanying report to Congress and publish it in the Federal Register.

Federal Register Open PDF 79 FR 74009

Impact dates

  1. Six-month suspension period expires

  2. Federal Register filing

Key directives

  • Suspend limitations in sections 3(b) and 7(b) of Jerusalem Embassy Act for 6 months
  • Transmit determination to Congress with report under section 7(a)
  • Publish determination in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Suspension takes effect upon transmission to Congress
  • Secretary of State directed to transmit determination and report to Congress
  • Publication in Federal Register

Near term (90d)

  • Six-month suspension period runs from December 2014 through June 2015

Long term

  • Continued precedent for presidential suspension of Jerusalem Embassy Act requirements
  • Potential future determinations required at six-month intervals under statute

Risks & tensions

  • Recurrent six-month suspensions since 1995 create ongoing political friction with pro-Israel constituencies and congressional proponents of embassy relocation
  • Document does not specify exact transmission date to Congress, creating minor uncertainty on when suspension technically takes effect
  • Vague 'national security interests' justification is standard formula but text offers no elaboration
Presidential Determination: Suspension of Limitations Under the Jerusalem Embassy Act · Executive Orders