WIBW-TV Topeka, Kan.
Legislation aiming to protect U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem endorsed by Sen. Marshall
By Sarah Motter
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Senator Roger Marshall has joined legislation to protect the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) says he joined a group of 34 other colleagues to introduce the Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Law Act in order to protect the full and faithful implementation of the law and block President Joe Biden’s Administration from efforts to subvert it.
“The Biden Administration is willing to ignore U.S. law and the wishes of the Israeli government in order to sow division and gain political points with radical anti-Israel Democrats in Congress,” said Sen. Marshall.
“Instead of standing with our ally, expanding the Abraham Accords, and prioritizing stability and peace in the Middle East, President Biden continues to undermine the State of Israel. I’m proud to stand with Israel and my colleagues in the U.S. Senate as we fight to prevent the Biden Administration from opening an unlawful U.S. consulate. We must instead focus on the immediate threats to Israel and the United States including – Iranian-backed regional terror groups and Iran’s continued pursuit of a nuclear weapon.”
Under the Trump Administration, Marshall said the U.S. fully implemented the law by formally recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel on Dec. 6, 2017, by moving the nation’s embassy to Jerusalem on May 14, 2018. It also closed the U.S. Consulate General for the Palestinians and merged its functions into U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem’s new Palestinian Affairs Unit under the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s Chief of Mission authority.
Before the legislation, Marshall said the U.S. consulate for Palestine had previously operated completely outside of the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s Chief of Mission authority.
Marshall said original cosponsors of the Upholding the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Law Act of 2021 include Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), James Inhofe (R-OK), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), James Risch (R-ID), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Todd Young (R-IN).