For months, the White House has lobbied against the measure and strongly hinted that Obama will nix it.
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The bill, which was passed in the Senate in May, cleared the house by voice vote on Friday, two days before the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Bi-partisan members of both the House and Senate took part in a memorial service for the almost 3,000 victims of the attacks just after the House passed the bill.
The Senate bill would revise immunity laws now sheltering Saudis from American lawsuits in USA courts, making it possible for the families to get justice in US courts. Chuck Schumer of NY, according to The Hill.
In July, Congress declassified previously redacted pages from the 9/11 Commission.
The war is pitting Yemen’s internationally recognised government and a Saudi-led coalition against the Shiite rebels known as Houthis, who are allied with army units loyal to a former president.
Currently, victims of terrorist attacks can only sue countries that have been officially deemed a state sponsor of terrorism.
Family members of 9/11 victims say the legislation 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 government involvement in the terrorist plot. Opponents of the bill said it could strain relations with Saudi Arabia and lead to retaliatory laws targeting USA citizens or corporations in other countries.
The White House believed that the newly enacted bill will endanger US companies and personnel when they do business or official work in other countries.
“In fact what they [Congress] are doing is stripping the principle of sovereign immunities which would turn the world for worldwide law into the law of the jungle”, Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said in May in a statement”.
“When you’re the most powerful country in the world, you’re invested in the idea of sovereign immunity, given how deeply the United States is involved in so many other countries”.
Critics also argue the bill will put US relations with Saudi Arabia in jeopardy and potentially set a risky precedent of Americans suing foreign governments.
Sen. Schumer pushed back against the Obama administration’s concerns.
Advocates for the legislation dispute the validity of the White House’s arguments, pointing out countries that have done nothing wrong and don’t support terrorists have nothing to worry about.
Pataki then accused President Barack Obama of embracing nations that support terrorism.
A pocket veto could help the White House avoid some of the political fallout that could come from outright vetoing a measure aimed at helping 9/11 victims, a move that could fuel an emotional backlash and an uncomfortable debate in the weeks before Election Day.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) passed the House by voice vote and now goes to President Obama, who has threatened to veto it.
Congress is likely to have the votes necessary to override a veto but lawmakers are eager to adjourn soon so that they can focus exclusively on campaigning for re-election.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia.
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“This is more important than campaigning”, Strada said. “This is the priority”.
