The Obama administration has expressed concern that the bill would set a president, putting the USA government, soldiers, diplomats and even corporation in legal jeopardy in foreign courts.
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According to The Washington Post, a group of 9/11 victims’ family members sent the president a letter urging him not to “slam the door shut and abandon us” by vetoing the bill.
One of the fears held by the Obama administration is that that the law could open the USA government up to lawsuits in countries around the world, Earnest said.
Several of the attackers involved in the terror strikes on America were Saudi citizens, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act declares, arguing that victims’ families must be allowed to continue their quest for justice in USA courts.
White House officials continue to insist that President Obama intends to veto the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which unanimously passed in both the House and Senate, claiming that the weakening of the principle of sovereign immunity is a danger to the US.
Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who introduced the bill, had called on Obama to sign the bill after it passed in the House. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “If they’ve done nothing wrong, they have nothing to worry about”.
The “Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act”, known as JASTA, would remove sovereign immunity, preventing lawsuits against governments, for countries found to be involved in terrorist attacks on USA soil. While legislators are expected to attempt an override, a success would be the first one during Obama’s presidency.
The Saudi government, which has denied any involvement in the September 11 attacks, has warned that it might liquidate hundreds of billions of dollars worth of US assets if the bill becomes law, which many experts believe to be a false threat.
Earnest said the bill has not yet been presented to Obama who has 10 days to veto the bill before it becomes law automatically. “The United States does not sponsor acts of terrorism in other countries”.
The families of the victims of 9/11 have been trying to sue Saudi Arabia for their roll in the terror attacks that claimed the lives of nearly 3000 people.
Supporters of the legislation have said that countries that have done nothing wrong and don’t support terrorists shouldn’t be anxious about effects of the legislation. The Saudi government has denied culpability.
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Prior to the House vote, Speaker Paul D. Ryan told reporters Thursday that members had weighed concerns about the bill but that most seemed to believe the arguments for the legislation were more compelling.
