Birthplace Fight

From JP:
"US Supreme Court to review Jerusalem birthplace law"

The US Supreme Court on Monday agreed to weigh the constitutionality of a US law that was designed to allow American citizens born in Jerusalem to have Israel listed as their birthplace on passports. Now at the high court, the case will examine a constitutional question of checks and balances: whether the president of the United States is the sole authority able to declare US foreign policy, or whether Congress may pass law overriding the policy. Congress attempted to pass such a law in the 2003 Foreign Relations Authorization Act ​, which declared that “the Secretary [of State] shall, upon the request of the citizen or the citizen’s legal guardian, record the place of birth as Israel ​" in that citizen's passport.​ ​ ​ The legislation had wide support among major American Jewish organizations, such as the Jewish Federations of North America and the American Jewish Committee.​ But over the summer, a federal appeals court struck down ​key provisions of that law, ​ ​ruling the president retains the ability to determine ​Jerusalem's ​ sovereignty over Congress based on constitutional grounds. AJC​ anticipated an appeal to the Supreme Court when that ruling was announced. Congress has pushed against the White House ​on this matter ​ through several administrations. However, the State Department, through both Democratic and Republican administrations, has refused to directly declare Jerusalem the Israeli capital or indirectly declare the city Israeli territory through passport listings. Asked on Monday to comment on the ruling, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the government's position on Jerusalem's status had not changed.​

^ I understand the need to have the checks and balances in government so one side doesn't overstep their authority. I also think it should be made official US Government policy that any American born in Jerusalem have "Israel" put in their passport. Whether you consider Jerusalem the capital of Israel or not it is still Israeli territory. The difficult question is what to do with people born in the parts of Jerusalem that were administrated by Jordan until 1967 - is the place of birth "Jordon" or "Israel?" I believe that official documents should state the name that was officially used at the time of their birth as well as the current name. I personally know that Germans born in East Germany don't have "East Germany" on their American passports, but "Germany" and Russians born in the "Soviet Union" have "Russia" on their's. The current usage should be: "East Germany (currently Germany)", "Soviet Union (currently Russia - or whatever republic they were from)", etc. ^

http://www.jpost.com/International/US-Supreme-Court-to-review-Jerusalem-birthplace-law-350014