A bill that would allow the families of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks to sue the Saudi Arabian government is sitting on President Barack Obama‘s desk. Obama is expected to officially veto the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) on Friday before the midnight deadline, but a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton said that if it was up to her, she would sign it.
Clinton drops ambiguity on 9/11 lawsuit bill. “She would sign this legislation if it came to her desk.” (Obama will veto it today) pic.twitter.com/iblwMYJMRN
— Olivier Knox (@OKnox) September 23, 2016
The White House has been vocal in opposing JASTA, which passed in the House and Senate with bipartisan support, saying that by diminishing other countries’ sovereign immunity, they could in turn do the same to the U.S. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has said:
If this bill were to enter into force, if the President’s veto were overridden, the United States government, US service members, US diplomats, and even, potentially, US companies are at risk of being hauled into court in countries all around the world.
There may be enough support for JASTA in Congress to override a veto, but Earnest said that the White House has been trying to sway lawmakers to their side.
