House Approves Bill Allowing 9/11 Families To Sue Saudis

Congress passed a bipartisan bill Friday allowing families of September 11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia, even though the measure may be vetoed by the Obama Administration.

With Sen. Charles Schumer as an original co-sponsor of the bill, the Senate unanimously passed its version in May.

The US House of Representatives passed the legislation by voice vote on Friday, which sparked cheers and applause in its chamber two days before the 15th anniversary of the hijacked-plane attacks on NY and Washington.

Opponents of the bill said it could strain relations with Saudi Arabia and lead to retaliatory laws targeting US citizens or corporations in other countries.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers who perpetrated the September 11 attacks were Saudi citizens.

The Saudi government has denied any involvement in the attacks, and the New York Times reported the kingdom has warned it might liquidate its U.S. Treasury debt and other American assets if the bill becomes law. They also are warily eyeing the congressional calendar over fears the administration – which argues the bill could harm the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia and establish a legal precedent that jeopardizes American officials overseas – may try to pocket veto the legislation if lawmakers leave Washington soon to focus on the election, depriving Congress of an opportunity to hold an override vote.

Pointing to the concerns raised by the White House, Michigan Rep. John Conyers, the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel, said Friday, “I remain hopeful that we can continue to work with the Administration so we can resolve these issues so the legislation can be signed into law by the president”. Both Obama and a White House spokesman said in April the president would veto the bill. The allegations were never substantiated by later U.S. investigations into the terrorist attacks.

In an interview on CNN Friday, Schumer said,”There are always diplomatic considerations that get in the way of justice, but if a court proves the Saudis were complicit in 9/11, they should be held accountable”.

Backers say passage is long overdue.

Saudi Arabia has already made it clear that they intend to remove USA investments in retaliation if the legislation is passed.

House Speaker Paul Ryan led a moment of silence on the Capitol steps, and politicians sang “God Bless America” in remembrance of 9/11, when elected representatives gathered in the same location to sing the song immediately after the attacks on NY and Washington.

Previous versions of the bill had stalled in Congress because they provided fewer protections for countries against lawsuits.

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act had triggered a threat from Riyadh to pull billions of dollars from the US economy if the legislation is enacted.

“It may trigger similar acts all over the place, and then you enter into a “state of jungle” where everybody sues everybody”, Lellouche, who runs a parliamentary committee on global law, told reporters on a conference call on Friday.