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House Passes Bill Allowing 9/11 Lawsuits Against Saudi Arabia; White House Hints at Veto
WASHINGTON — The House on Friday approved a bill to allow families of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for any role in the terrorist plot, setting up a rare bipartisan showdown with the White House.
The measure was never debated on the House or Senate floors. It reflects a growing desire to re-examine Washington’s alliance with the kingdom, which for decades has been a cornerstone of American foreign policy in the Middle East. Other measures, like a bipartisan one that would seek to block the sale of some tanks to the kingdom, are also on the horizon.
But President Obama says he is strongly opposed to the measure and the White House has signaled that he would veto it.
Lawmakers felt intense pressure from families of the victims of the attacks, who wanted the legislation passed before the 15th anniversary of 9/11 on Sunday. That may account for the bill jumping from a committee room to an expedited vote on the House floor.
“The families have been asking for this for over a decade,” said Terry Strada, whose husband, Thomas S. Strada, was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center towers. She has long lobbied Congress on the issue. “We don’t feel this is fast-track in any way shape or form,” she said.
Mr. Obama has voiced opposition to the effort for months, fearing that it could expose the United States to lawsuits by people in other countries. A White House official said this week that the administration’s position has not changed even after some changes were made to the bill to mollify critics.
The measure was never debated on the House or Senate floors. It reflects a growing desire to re-examine Washington’s alliance with the kingdom, which for decades has been a cornerstone of American foreign policy in the Middle East. Other measures, like a bipartisan one that would seek to block the sale of some tanks to the kingdom, are also on the horizon.
But President Obama says he is strongly opposed to the measure and the White House has signaled that he would veto it.
Lawmakers felt intense pressure from families of the victims of the attacks, who wanted the legislation passed before the 15th anniversary of 9/11 on Sunday. That may account for the bill jumping from a committee room to an expedited vote on the House floor.
“The families have been asking for this for over a decade,” said Terry Strada, whose husband, Thomas S. Strada, was killed in the attack on the World Trade Center towers. She has long lobbied Congress on the issue. “We don’t feel this is fast-track in any way shape or form,” she said.
Mr. Obama has voiced opposition to the effort for months, fearing that it could expose the United States to lawsuits by people in other countries. A White House official said this week that the administration’s position has not changed even after some changes were made to the bill to mollify critics.
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