IN THE VERY FIRST OVERRIDE OF HIS PRESIDENCY, THE SENATE PUSHED BACK ON OBAMA’S VETO OF THE 9/11 BILL that would allow 9/11 victim’s families to sue Saudi Arabia. How did the Senate gather the courage to do this?
THE VOTE WAS: 97-1…Dirty Harry Reid was the sole vote against the override
WASHINGTON — The House and Senate Wednesday voted to reject President Obama’s veto of legislation allowing lawsuits against foreign sponsors of terrorism in the first successful override of a presidential veto since Obama took office.
The president had 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 Obama’s Democratic allies on Capitol Hill voted to override his veto. The final vote tally in the Senate was 97-1. Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-.Nev., cast the sole vote against override.
“In our polarized politics of today, this is pretty much close to a miraculous occurrence,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Democrats and Republicans in both chambers 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.”.
Read more: USA Today