October Term 2014 · Docket 13-628
Can Congress force the President to list Jerusalem as Israel's capital on passports?
A citizen seeks a passport listing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The government claims this power belongs solely to the President.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Ms. Lewin argued passport entries do not amount to formal recognition.
General Verrilli addressed the core problem with the specific statutory section.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-41
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether Congress can direct the President to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital on passports.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-39
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 3, 2014.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the passport to list Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
The government wants to keep the power to decide this designation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-39
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues passport entries do not constitute formal sovereign recognition.
The government argues the President alone controls foreign recognition policy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-39
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked if the provision is disconnected from the section's purpose.
Justice Breyer asked how judges handle State Department policy claims about recognition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-41
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between legislative and executive power in foreign affairs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-39
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-41
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-39
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.