Historic defeat for Obama; Senate overrides his veto on 9/11 bill

September 28, 2016 22:03

The United States Senate voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to override President Barack Obama's veto of legislation allowing lawsuits against foreign sponsors of terrorism, setting up an almost certain and historic defeat for the White House on the bill.

The House is expected to follow suit within hours, making it the first veto of Obamas presidency that has been overturned by Congress.

Obama vetoed the legislation Friday because he said the bill -- known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA -- would infringe on the president's ability to conduct foreign policy. It was the 12th veto of his presidency.

But after an intense, lengthy push by 9/11 survivors and families of victims who want to sue Saudi Arabia based on claims the country played a role in the 2001 terror attack, even Obamas Democratic allies on Capitol Hill voted to override his veto.

"In our polarized politics of today, this is pretty much close to a miraculous occurrence," said Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas. Democrats and Republicans in both cambers have agreed, he said, that the bill "gives the victims of the terrorist attack on our own soil an opportunity to seek the justice they deserve.".

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

SC may consider Kejriwal's bail plea on Tuesday over LS polls

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, that the hearing on Kejriwal's plea against arrest is likely to take time and therefore, the court...

IPL: 'Batting outside the Powerplay is the hardest thing'

England all-rounder Will Jacks has slammed hundreds in SA20, BPL and IPL within the first five months of 2024.

It's just the beginning for Rinku: Ganguly

Rinku Singh shouldn't be disheartened by his exclusion from India's World T20 squad as it was pure tactical decision, said former captain Sourav Ganguly.

JD-S worker steps up, accuses Prajwal of rape, filming it

The crime investigation department booked Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, after a JD-S worker from Hassan lodged a complaint against him.

Prajwal Revanna booked for rape, says CM Siddaramaiah

He said he has directed police to identify, trace and secure the victims in view of the alleged kidnapping of a victim at Krishnaraja Nagar town in Mysuru district.