Senate overrides Obama's veto of 9/11 bill allowing victims' families to sue Saudi Arabia

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published 28 September 2016

The Senate on Wednesday overrode President Barack Obama's veto of a controversial bill allowing families of 9/11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia. The Senate prevailed in a landslide 97-1 vote, and the House will likely vote on the bill later this week.

The bill is expected to result in the first veto override of Obama's presidency, Politico reports. The bill's detractors have argued it would weaken sovereign immunity, with the Obama administration claiming "the bill could lead other nations to alter their laws upholding sovereign immunity ... [and] would have dire consequences for Americans posted overseas," CNN explained.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.