Bill allowing 9/11 families to sue Saudi Arabia passes Senate

The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Tuesday that would allow victims of the September 11 attacks to file lawsuits seeking damages from Saudi Arabia, setting up a potential showdown with the White House, which has threatened a veto.

The bill, Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, had been stalled in the chamber for months as the White House and House Speaker Paul Ryan expressed concerns about provisions in it, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remained reluctant to support.

It would allow several lawsuits – consolidated into one case on behalf of 9/11 victims and several insurance companies – to proceed, as lawyers attempt to prove Saudi involvement in the terrorist plot.

It was sponsored by Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer of NY and Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas and is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives as well.

The bill is now headed to the House, where it will likely pass. President Obama is vowing to veto the legislation should it reach his desk.

The bill would allow victims of terror attacks on USA soil or surviving family members to bring lawsuits against nation-states for activities supporting terrorism.

The Saudi government has threatened to sell billions of dollars in USA assets if Congress approves the bill.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, also had warned that the legislation, if passed, would alienate Saudi Arabia and undermine a longstanding yet strained relationship with a critical USA ally in the Middle East. If the facts lead to that conclusion, that a foreign government was involved, then I agree with Sen.

“I would not vote to sustain a veto and it’s my guess that most of my colleagues would agree with that”, said Schumer, adding he thinks the Senate can “easily get the two-thirds” vote to override a veto.

“Look, if the Saudis did not participate in this terrorism, they have nothing to fear about going to court”, Schumer said.

Schumer said Tuesday that the White House concerns, though, “don’t stand up”. If they did, they should be held accountable. An aide to the House Judiciary Committee said there are plans for a hearing on the Senate’s legislation sometime in the near future. The pages could shed light on any role Saudi Arabia might have played, and the administration is reviewing the pages for potential declassification, according to the Associated Press. During a visit to Washington in March, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told lawmakers and administration officials that if the legislation passed, Saudi Arabia could start selling off $750 billion in Treasury securities and assets in the United States.