As promised, President Obama vetoed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) today, setting up what could be the first Congressional override of his entire presidency.
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The legislation as it stands would lift the protection of sovereign immunity, as now mandated under a 1976 law, for cases involving terrorist attacks within the USA, allowing lawsuits brought against Riyadh by families of 9/11 victims to go forward.
Obama said other countries could use the law, known as JASTA, as an excuse to sue US diplomats, members of the military or companies – even for actions of foreign organizations that had received USA aid, equipment or training.
Allowing JASTA would be “detrimental” to USA national interests more broadly, Obama said.
A group of survivors and families also pressed Congress to uphold the legislation, calling Obama’s veto explanation “unconvincing and unsupportable”.
Obama expressed “deep sympathy” for the families of 9/11 victims and a “deep appreciation” for their desire to pursue justice. But Obama’s move could prompt Congress to overturn his decision with a rare veto override, which requires the voting of the two-thirds of the lawmakers in both the Senate and House. If two-thirds majorities of each chamber vote to override the president’s veto, it will be the first time that’s happened during Obama’s almost eight years in office.
Saudi Arabia had no immediate comment on the veto, which came two days after senators voted convincingly to back a 1.15 billion USA dollar (£884 million) sale of American weapons to the kingdom.
The measure carries significant emotional weight; the House sent the bill to Obama just two days ahead of the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
Saudi Arabia has reacted bitterly, threatening to freeze hundreds of billions of U.S. assets inside the country, and its lobbyists have fanned out across Washington in a last-minute campaign to stop the bill, as the New York Times has reported.
Out of the 19 September 11 terrorists, 15 were Saudi nationals. Chuck Schumer, (D-NY), who co-sponsored the bill, is on the record as promising to help override a veto.
“President Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act is shameful and will go down as one of the low points of his presidency”.
Still, an organization representing family members and victims of the attack, many of whom had demonstrated in front of the White House this week urging the President to sign the measure, voiced anger at Obama’s decision. If that happens, it would be the first override of Obama in his two terms in office.
President Barack Obama places a wreath at the dateline of the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial.
Still, members of both parties called for Congress to delay its planned override vote so that lawmakers could try to renegotiate the bill with the White House.
Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell has said he expects the Senate to successfully override the veto. Saudi Arabia has itself spoken critically of and personally lobbied against the effort, maintaining it had no role in assisting the 9/11 terrorists. The White House has until midnight Friday to officially submit the veto to Congress.
In 2004 the 9/11 Commission Report found “no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organisation”.
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The allegations were never substantiated by USA investigations into the attacks. The White House hopeful backs “the ability of 9/11 families and other victims of terror to hold accountable those responsible”, her spokesman, Jesse Lehrich, told reporters.
