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Eugene

(62,736 posts)
Wed Sep 28, 2016, 02:13 PM Sep 2016

Congress overrides Obama’s veto of 9/11 bill

Source: Washington Post

Congress overrides Obama’s veto of 9/11 bill

By Karoun Demirjian and Juliet Eilperin September 28 at 3:02 PM

Congress on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to override President Obama’s veto of legislation that would allow 9/11 victims’ families to sue the Saudi Arabian government over its alleged support for the terrorists who carried out the attacks.

The votes in the House and Senate amounted to a sweeping, bipartisan rejection of the White House’s argument that the legislation poses a national security threat because it could expose U.S. officials to similar lawsuits abroad. It is the first time during the Obama administration that Congress has voted to override a veto.

“Overriding a presidential veto is something we don’t take lightly, but it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice, even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts,” Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who co-authored the bill with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), said in a statement.

Traveling aboard Air Force One Wednesday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest called the vote “the single most embarrassing thing the United States Senate has done possibly since 1983,” when Congress overwhelmingly voted to override President Reagan’s veto of an Oregon land transfer bill.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/09/27/senate-poised-to-vote-to-override-obamas-veto-of-911-bill/
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Congress overrides Obama’s veto of 9/11 bill (Original Post) Eugene Sep 2016 OP
Saudi Arabia shouldn't support terrorist WDIM Sep 2016 #1
I hope we don't come to regret the passing of this bill. Ilsa Sep 2016 #2

Ilsa

(62,263 posts)
2. I hope we don't come to regret the passing of this bill.
Wed Sep 28, 2016, 02:37 PM
Sep 2016

I've heard it is supposed to be very limited in scope, but what if it opens the door for Americans to be sued abroad? Or our govt?

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