Bill · S. 384· Senate(119-S-384)
RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria Act
- Introduced
- 2/4/2025
- Last activity
- 2/4/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Sponsored by
- Tom Cotton
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria Act," seeks to prohibit the United States government from using the term "West Bank" in official materials. It directs the government to use the historical names "Judea" and "Samaria" instead. The legislation prohibits the use of funds to prepare or distribute any work product, such as policy, guidance, or press releases, that refers to the area as the "West Bank." It includes an exception for obligations under international treaties or agreements. The Secretary of State has the authority to waive this prohibition if deemed in the interest of the United States. Finally, the act mandates conforming changes to several existing United States laws to replace the prohibited term with "Judea and Samaria."
Yes
Does this strengthen ties with allied countries?+5
The bill aligns U.S. official terminology with Israeli historical claims, which may strengthen bilateral ties.
The opposite
Would immigrants be better off under this?-2
Changing official terminology regarding occupied territories can impact the legal and political status of residents in those areas.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?-1
The mandate restricts the use of specific terms in government work products and press releases, which may impact the way information is communicated.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Consistency in Government Language: By mandating specific terminology across various acts, the bill ensures that government communications are uniform. This includes updates to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the Taylor Force Act, and the United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act of 1985 (Section 4).
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Clarity of Historical Reference: The bill establishes a specific way for the government to refer to land annexed by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War by using the names "Judea" and "Samaria" (Section 2).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Restricted Flexibility for Government Officials: The bill restricts how funds can be used for any policy, guidance, regulation, notice, or communication that uses the term "West Bank" (Section 3(a)).
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Burden of Compliance for Administrative Actions: Government agencies must change how they prepare or promulgate work products, such as briefings and press releases, unless a waiver is granted by the Secretary of State (Section 3(a)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves International Alliances+5
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Immigrants-2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency-1
- 2/10/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/4/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Bernie MorenoRepublican · Ohio