Gulf states condemn law letting 9/11 families sue Saudi Arabia

The U.S. House has approved a bipartisan bill that would allow families of September 11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia.

“The concept of sovereign immunity is one that protects the United States as much as any other country in the world, given the way the U.S. is engaged in the world”, Earnest said.

If he cannot, the measure could lead to the first veto override of his presidency, as the legislation drew the backing of lopsided majorities in both the House and Senate. And it could potentially lead other countries to retaliate, making USA companies, citizens and members of the military subject to lawsuits in foreign courts.

President Obama will still veto a bill to help the families of 9/11 victims sue Saudi Arabia for damages, although it passed unanimously in both the House and Senate.

According to CNN, congress is expected to try to override the veto, which would require a two-thirds vote against the president in each chamber. The Senate had approved the measure in May.

The administration said in a veto message that the House bill would “seek to foreclose entirely the executive branch’s ability to determine appropriate disposition options for detainees, including to transfer them consistent with our national security and our humane treatment policy”. Later U.S. investigations into the attacks were unable to substantiate the allegations. The House acted on the measure Friday, two days before the fifteen year anniversary of the terror attacks. Earlier on Tuesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said he will bring it to a vote this week. The bill has been discussed in the context of the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the unproven allegation that senior Saudi leaders were in some way complicit with the al Qaeda attack.

Administration officials say the bill would also endanger the USA relationship with Saudi Arabia.

Josh Earnest, the While House press secretary said at the time: “This information does not change the assessment of the USA government that there’s no evidence that the Saudi government or senior Saudi individuals funded Al’Qaeda”. “I hope for their sake that the Administration will rethink vetoing this bill”, Sen.

But the White House has long argued there are bigger issues at play than the pending lawsuit.

“Please, Mr. President, don’t slam the door shut and abandon us”, concluded a letter written by the families to the president.

“The other concern that we have also articulated is that this law actually opens up the United States to risk being hauled into court in countries around the world”.

Previous versions of the bill had stalled in Congress because they provided fewer protections for countries against lawsuits. The Senate has been aiming to leave Washington as soon as this week, before that deadline, and the House next week, and lawmakers would not be in Washington again until after the November 8 elections.

“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”, Schumer said in a statement.

“America’s interests must come before the interests of Saudi Arabia and its lobbyists”, said King.