Many of us in Congress and in the Jewish communities around the country have long stood by the principle that Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel. (History of Jerusalem).

The United States, while long an ally of Israel's, has thus far not recognized Jerusalem in the official capacity that it should. Israel, in fact, is one of only two nations in which the U.S. Embassy sits outside of the nation's capital…

This August, working in conjunction with my Republican colleague from New York, Congressman Thomas J. Reynolds, I introduced legislation that would bring us significantly closer to officially recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

HR 2785 contains three major provisions:

1. My bill brings the United States Consulate in Jerusalem under the supervision of the United States Ambassador to Israel. Israel is now the only country in the world in which the consulate is not directly overseen by the Embassy. This provision would bring the United States Embassy one major step closer to it's appropriate home in Jerusalem.
   
   
2. The legislation also mandates that the United States Government list Jerusalem, Israel as the Capital of Israel on all government documents where a country and a capital are listed together.
   
   
3. At the request of a U.S. citizen born in the city of Jerusalem, the bill would list that individual's country of birth as Israel on any and all official documents.

My previous attempts to have these simple legislative provisions heard in Congress have been met with surprising resistance. A sense that movements to fulfill longstanding promises of the recognition of Jerusalem will somehow hamper the Mid-East peace process seems to inform this obstruction, but I disagree with this position.

The United States has taken a strong position in support of Israel since her birth more than 50 years ago, and at this time of such delicate transition for Israel, it is even more important the we show her our allegiance. The provisions in HR 2785 are simple, non-controversial ones that have already been passed by the United States Senate. It is time that the House of Representatives takes steps to demonstrate our loyalties to Israel - let us start the process of moving the Embassy once and for all to its rightful home, Jerusalem, Israel.

Congressman Anthony D. Weiner