PRESS RELEASE
Closing In on the Saudi-9/11 Connection
May 17, 2016 (EIRNS)—The U.S. Senate defied the Obama White House today, and passed by unanimous voice vote the JASTA (Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism) bill, which will permit the families of the victims of 9/11 to sue the Saudi government (or any other government) for providing material support for terrorism in the United States. Obama has threatened to veto the bill, but chief Democratic sponsor Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) believes he has the votes to override such action.
First, however, the House equivalent of JASTA must be passed by the House of Representatives where HR 3815 (the sister legislation) has only 22 co-sponsors as yet. Obama's press spokesman Josh Earnest, when asked about JASTA's passage at today's press briefing, declared that the White House still 'strongly' opposed the bill, and would be working with House members to try to change or kill it.
Meanwhile momentum continues to grow in the House of Representatives for action on H. Res. 14, Rep. Walter Jones's bill calling on the President to release the suppressed 28 pages of the 9/11 Congressional Inquiry, believed to deal with Saudi financing. The Hill reported on May 14 that there have been 72 requests by members of Congress to read the pages since the new session of Congress began in 2015, according to the House Intelligence Committee, which approves the requests. All the requests were approved.
According to www.thomas.gov, Jones's bill currently has 58 cosponsors, broadly representative of both parties, and the support is growing almost daily.
