McConnell: Senate Will Override Obama Veto, Allow 9/11 Families To Sue Saudi Arabia

The Senate Majority Leader, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, has offered assurances that the Senate will stay in session long enough to override President Barack Obama’s expected veto of a bill that would allow for the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia.

On Sept. 20, McConnell indicated to reporters that the Senate would remain in session through next week in order to override a presidential veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), The Hill reports.

The bill, which was passed by both the House and Senate by unanimous voice vote, would enable the families of 9/11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia.

The Middle Eastern country, a key ally of the U.S., is suspected of having provided aid to the Al Qaeda hijackers who had carried out the 9/11 terrorist attack. 15 out of the 19 hijackers had originated from Saudi Arabia, according to CNN.

There has been no smoking gun directly implicating Saudi officials in colluding with the hijackers, but numerous families of 9/11 victims have been advocating for the right to file a class action lawsuit against the Middle Eastern country.

The Obama administration has been firmly against JASTA, citing concerns that it would set a new precedent where diplomatic immunity could be ignored and endanger U.S. officials abroad.

“This legislation would change longstanding international law regarding sovereign immunity,” said White House press secretary Josh Earnest. “And the President of the United States continues to harbor serious concerns that this legislation would make the United States vulnerable in other court systems around the world.”

President Obama has until Sept. 23 to veto JASTA, and he is expected to wait until the last minute. Lawmakers are eager to end their current legislative session to focus on campaigning for November. Congress was expected to recess on Sept. 22, according to The New York Times.

Lobbying efforts by the Obama administration and Saudi Arabia appear to have already moved several lawmakers, several of them now expressing doubts about the bill.

“I have tremendous empathy for the victims… But at the same time, I have concerns about the precedent it would set,” said Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee.

If Congress were to remain in session after President Obama rejects JASTA, they can override the veto with a two-thirds majority.

“You don’t have to have an advanced degree in math to understand the significant support that exists in the United States Congress for this bill,” Earnest told reporters.

Now McConnell has announced that the Senate will remain in session next week. The Kentucky senator stated that Congress would remain in session to override the presidential veto and, ironically, to strike down a bill that would ban the sale of U.S. arms to Saudi Arabia.

“Both of those we’ll have to deal with before we depart,” McConnell said.

While the Kentucky senator supports allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, he is firmly against blocking further sales of military equipment to the U.S. ally.

“The Saudis have in many, many ways been good allies over the years,” McConnell said.

Sources: CNN, The Hill, The New York Times / Photo Credit: U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr