House passes 9/11 bill, putting Obama in a tough spot with Saudi Arabia

The House just passed a revolutionary bill.

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published 9 September 2016

On Friday, Congress passed a bill that could allow the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia over its alleged ties to the terrorist attacks. The House approved the bill with a voice vote, seconding the Senate's vote in May and sending the bill to President Obama's desk.

Obama, however, has already vowed to veto the bill. Policy experts argue the Saudis, who have repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks, would see the law as a "hostile act," thus threatening diplomatic relations with America's largest ally in the Middle East. The New York Times reported the Saudi government has already threatened to "liquidate hundreds of billions of dollars of American assets if the bill becomes law, although many experts say they believe it is an empty threat." Proponents of the bill argue it would give victims' families a necessary opportunity to seek justice.

Congress' approval comes days ahead of the 15th anniversary of 9/11, which is Sunday.