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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| 9/11 bill passes US Senate despite Saudi threats | 9/11 bill passes US Senate despite Saudi threats |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A bill that would allow the families of 9/11 victims to sue the Saudi government has passed a key hurdle in the US Senate. | |
| The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) now moves to the House of Representatives. | The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) now moves to the House of Representatives. |
| President Barack Obama said he'll veto the bill, but a Democratic Senator is "confident" he'd be overruled. | President Barack Obama said he'll veto the bill, but a Democratic Senator is "confident" he'd be overruled. |
| Saudi Arabia denies any involvement in the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. | Saudi Arabia denies any involvement in the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. |
| If it became law the legislation would allow victims' families to sue the government of Saudi Arabia in a US court if it played a role in any element of the attack. | If it became law the legislation would allow victims' families to sue the government of Saudi Arabia in a US court if it played a role in any element of the attack. |
| A White House spokesman said President Obama had serious concerns about the bill, and it was difficult to imagine he would sign it into law. | A White House spokesman said President Obama had serious concerns about the bill, and it was difficult to imagine he would sign it into law. |
| It was sponsored by Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas and is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives as well. | It was sponsored by Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas and is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives as well. |
| Democratic support | Democratic support |
| Senator Schumer said: "Today the senate has spoken loudly and unanimously that the families of the victims of terror attacks should be able to hold the perpetrators even if it's a country a nation accountable" | Senator Schumer said: "Today the senate has spoken loudly and unanimously that the families of the victims of terror attacks should be able to hold the perpetrators even if it's a country a nation accountable" |
| "It will serve as a deterrent and warning to any other nation who assists in terror attacks against American." | "It will serve as a deterrent and warning to any other nation who assists in terror attacks against American." |
| He said he was confident the bill would be passed by a large margin in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. | He said he was confident the bill would be passed by a large margin in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. |
| Saudi Arabia has threatened to sell its US bonds, which would pull billions of dollars from the US economy. But the senators dismissed the threats as "hollow". | Saudi Arabia has threatened to sell its US bonds, which would pull billions of dollars from the US economy. But the senators dismissed the threats as "hollow". |
| Many Senate Democrats rebelled against the position of the President and backed the bill. | Many Senate Democrats rebelled against the position of the President and backed the bill. |