Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995
Public Law 104-45 · S. 1322 · 104th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Nov 8, 1995 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Robert Dole (R-KS)
Cosponsors (76): Sen. Daniel Moynihan, Sen. Jon Kyl,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 374 yea, 37 nay374–37
- SenateRecorded vote: 93 yea, 5 nay93–5
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 - Declares it to be U.S. policy that: (1) Jerusalem remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic religious group are protected; (2) Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and (3) the U.S. Embassy in Israel be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.
States that, subject to the President's waiver authority granted below, not more than 50 percent of the funds appropriated for FY 1999 to the Department of State for "Acquisition and Maintenance of Buildings Abroad" may be obligated in the fiscal year until the Secretary of State determines, and reports to the Congress, that the Embassy has opened.
Makes specified amounts of such funds available until expended in FY 1996 and 1997 only for construction and other costs associated with relocating the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem.
Requires the Secretary of State to report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate on: (1) the Department of State's plan to implement this Act; and (2) progress made toward opening the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
Authorizes the President to suspend for six months (with possible subsequent six-month extensions) the 50 percent limitation on the obligation of funds with respect to the opening of the Embassy if he determines and reports to the Congress that a suspension is necessary to protect the national security interests of the United States.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 104th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 93 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
93 yea5 nay1 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(44)
- Sen. Paul WellstoneD-MN
Sen. Barbara BoxerD-CA
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA
Sen. Daniel AkakaD-HI- Sen. Paul SarbanesD-MD
Sen. Carl LevinD-MI- Sen. Dale BumpersD-AR
Sen. Russell FeingoldD-WI
Sen. Frank LautenbergD-NJ
Sen. Patty MurrayD-WA
Sen. Patrick LeahyD-VT- Sen. Tom DaschleD-SD
- Sen. David PryorD-AR
- Sen. Paul SimonD-IL
Sen. Tom HarkinD-IA- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
Sen. Kent ConradD-ND
Sen. John KerryD-MA- Sen. Carol Moseley BraunD-IL
Sen. Byron DorganD-ND
Sen. Jay RockefellerD-WV- Sen. Daniel MoynihanD-NY
Sen. Barbara MikulskiD-MD
Sen. Christopher DoddD-CT- Sen. John GlennD-OH
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI
Sen. Herb KohlD-WI
Sen. Jeff BingamanD-NM
Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE- Sen. Wendell FordD-KY
- Sen. Richard BryanD-NV
- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Bob GrahamD-FL
Sen. Dianne FeinsteinD-CA- Sen. Robert KerreyD-NE
Sen. Harry ReidD-NV- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. John BreauxD-LA
- Sen. Charles RobbD-VA
- Sen. James ExonD-NE
Sen. Joseph LiebermanD-CT
Sen. Max BaucusD-MT- Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
- Sen. Howell HeflinD-AL
Republicans who voted yea(49)
Sen. Arlen SpecterR-PA- Sen. William CohenR-ME
Sen. Olympia SnoweR-ME- Sen. Ben CampbellD-CO
- Sen. Nancy KassebaumR-KS
- Sen. Alan SimpsonR-WY
- Sen. Alfonse D’AmatoR-NY
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Mike DeWineR-OH
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM- Sen. Slade GortonR-WA
- Sen. William RothR-DE
Sen. Richard LugarR-IN
Sen. Kit BondR-MO
Sen. John WarnerR-VA
Sen. Robert BennettR-UT
Sen. Thad CochranR-MS- Sen. Larry PresslerR-SD
Sen. Chuck GrassleyR-IA- Sen. Bill FristR-TN
- Sen. Rick SantorumR-PA
Sen. Orrin HatchR-UT- Sen. Conrad BurnsR-MT
Sen. Richard ShelbyR-AL- Sen. Frank MurkowskiR-AK
Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Fred ThompsonR-TN
Sen. Judd GreggR-NH- Sen. Strom ThurmondR-SC
Sen. Kay HutchisonR-TX- Sen. Connie MackR-FL
- Sen. Craig ThomasR-WY
- Sen. Paul CoverdellR-GA
Sen. Daniel CoatsR-IN- Sen. Dirk KempthorneR-ID
Sen. Trent LottR-MS
Sen. Larry CraigR-ID
Sen. John McCainR-AZ- Sen. Rod GramsR-MN
- Sen. John AshcroftR-MO
- Sen. Don NicklesR-OK
- Sen. Hank BrownR-CO
- Sen. Phil GrammR-TX
Sen. Jim InhofeR-OK
Sen. Jon KylR-AZ- Sen. Bob SmithR-NH
- Sen. Jesse HelmsR-NC
- Sen. Lauch FairclothR-NC
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 496 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The record shows no committee referral for this bill.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 9 actions.
- Nov 8, 1995Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 104-45.
- PresidentPresident · Sent to Archivist of the United States unsigned.
- Oct 26, 1995PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 24, 1995FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 374 - 37, 5 Present (Roll no. 734).House roll call 734
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Gilman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 93-5. Record Vote No: 496.Senate roll call 496
- Oct 13, 1995IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.