Thread: Obama to Veto Bill Allowing 9/11 Lawsuits Against Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON — The White House said on Monday that President Obama would veto legislation approved by Congress that would allow the families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role in the plot, escalating a bipartisan dispute with lawmakers over the measure.

Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said Mr. Obama “does intend to veto this legislation,” and would work to persuade lawmakers in both parties to change course. If he cannot, the measure could lead to the first veto override of his presidency, as the legislation drew the backing of lopsided majorities in both the House and Senate.

“The president feels quite strongly about this,” Mr. Earnest said of the legislation, which Mr. Obama has said could dangerously undermine the United States’ interests globally, opening the country to a raft of lawsuits by private citizens overseas.

“The concept of sovereign immunity is one that protects the United States as much as any other country in the world,” Mr. Earnest said, referring to the rationale behind a 1976 law that gives other countries broad immunity from American lawsuits. “It’s not hard to imagine other countries using this law as an excuse to haul U.S.
diplomats or U.S. service members, or even U.S. companies, into courts around the world.”

The bill has placed Mr. Obama in an awkward position, pitting him against the grieving families of victims of terrorism and many of his strongest Democratic allies, including in New York’s congressional delegation.

“The families of the 9/11 victims have suffered so much and fought so hard for justice,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York. “I hope for their sake that the administration will rethink vetoing this bill.”

The legislation would alter that 1976 statute to allow nations to be sued in federal courts if they are found to have played any role in terrorist attacks that killed Americans on United States soil. It also allows Americans to file financial claims against those who funded the attacks.

Supported by the families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, the measure also reflects a broader re-evaluation in Washington of the alliance with Saudi Arabia, once an unquestioned partner.

The measure passed the Senate in May without opposition, and sailed through the House by a large margin on Friday. It takes a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate to override a veto.

The president will lobby lawmakers to change their votes, Mr. Earnest said, including many members he said had privately agreed with Mr. Obama’s position on the bill, but felt that voting against it would harm their political prospects.

“In many cases, we had members of Congress who were sympathetic to our concerns, but I think those same members of Congress were concerned about the impact this might have on their political standing, to oppose this bill,” Mr. Earnest said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/us...9-11.html?_r=0