President Obama vetoes bipartisan bill that would let families of 9/11 victims sue the government of Saudi Arabia, setting up a showdown with Congress where lawmakers on both sides of the aisle aim to override the president’s decision.
By Jordan Fabian – 09/23/16 04:26 PM EDT
President Obama on Friday vetoed legislation that would allow families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S courts, setting up a high-stakes showdown with Congress.
Obama’s move opens up the possibility that lawmakers could override his veto for the first time with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.
Republican and Democratic leaders have said they are committed to holding an override vote, and the bill’s drafters say they have the support to force the bill to become law.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) unanimously passed through both chambers by voice vote.
But the timing of the president’s veto is designed to erode congressional support for the bill and put off a politically damaging override vote until after the November elections.
Obama waited until the very end of the 10-day period he had to issue a veto, hoping to buy time to lobby members of Congress against the measure.
White House officials also hope congressional leaders will leave Washington to hit the campaign trail before trying for an override, kicking a vote to the lame-duck session after the election.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/296862-obama-vetoes-9-11-bill
The lawsuits will become a two-way street. Citizens of other countries will be able to sue the US government.
For example, the Syrians who were accidently killed last weekend in a US airstrike. The list could be long.
Yes but our economy is not dependent on the Syrian banking system. We could just ignore any illegitimate claims whereas Saudi Arabia would need to pay up and they and others would hopefully think twice before sponsoring terrorist acts against us.
Obama’s veto and the Iran nuclear deal show where his true loyalties lie.
Suffering this fool and all those who support him and his liberal progressive nonsense over the last eight years has been painful and destructive to the fabric of our until recently great Nation.
Magical. The US will ignore what we consider “illegitimate” but we believe that Saudia Arabia would pay.
I usually disagree with Obama, but on this he is correct.
Saudi Arabia is bankrupt without the US banking system.
They have on choice but to comply.