Leroy N. Soetoro
2016-09-24 21:22:20 UTC
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/09/23/obama-veto-
terrorism-lawsuit-bill-setting-up-override-battle/90407496/
WASHINGTON President Obama made good on his threat to veto a bill
allowing lawsuits against foreign sponsors of terrorism Friday, setting up
what could be the most contentious veto override vote of his presidency.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, would provide an
exception to the doctrine of "sovereign immunity," which holds that one
country can't be sued in another country's courts.
In an extraordinary three-page veto message to Congress, Obama said he has
"deep sympathy" for the families of victims of terrorism, but that the
legislation would interfere with the president's ability to conduct
foreign policy.
"I recognize that there is nothing that could ever erase the grief the
9/11 families have endured," Obama said. "Enacting JASTA into law,
however, would neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks nor
improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks."
The veto came on the last possible day for Obama to act under the
Constitution, which gives the president 10 days (excluding Sundays) to
veto a bill before it automatically becomes law. The White House had been
stalling for time in hopes of changing minds on Capitol Hill.
"We certainly are counting votes and having a number of conversations with
members of Congress in both parties and both houses of Congress," White
House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Friday. "I'm also acknowledging
that the politics of the situation are really tough. And if anything, I
think that is an illustration of the principled nature of the president's
position. The president's not blind to the politics of the situation."
Families of terror victims have lobbied for the bill, which would allow
them to sue Saudi Arabian officials who intelligence agencies have
suggested had ties to the hijackers of the four planes used in the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. But the bill would
also allow lawsuits against other countries as well.
The White House has argued that the bill would prompt other nations to
retaliate, stripping the immunity the United States enjoys in other parts
of the world. "And no country has more to lose, in the context of those
exceptions, than the United States of America, given the preeminent role
that we play in global affairs," Earnest said.
The veto was the 12th of Obama's presidency, and the first to face the
serious prospect of a veto override. It would take a two-thirds vote of
both chambers for the bill to become law over Obama's objections
concerns that Congress was already aware of when it passed the bill by
voice vote, suggesting near unanimous support.
The bill now goes back to the Senate, where its sponsor, Sen. John Cornyn,
R-Texas, has already promised quick action to override.
"It is really inexplicable to me that the president would talk about
vetoing this opportunity for the victims of 9/11 and their families to be
able to make their case in court," he said last week. "I would love to
have him sign the legislation into law, but if he decides to veto it, I
hope he does it quickly so we can just as quickly vote to override that
veto. There is no reason why we need to make these families wait any
longer."
Even if Congress sustains the veto, both major candidates for president
say they support the measure and would sign it. Democrat Hillary Clinton
said she supports the legislation "to hold accountable those responsible"
for the 2001 terrorist attacks; Republican Donald Trump called Obama's
veto "one of the low points of his presidency."
Both the House and Senate had hoped to depart Friday for a fall recess in
order to campaign, but are stuck in Washington to hammer out a spending
bill by Oct. 1 to avert a government shutdown. When Congress is not in
session, the president can issue a "pocket" veto, which can't be overriden
but that tool is no longer an option.
Most of Obama's vetoes have come in the past year, and Democrats have been
able to rebuff override attempts. But even the threat of a veto has been
enough to stave off some GOP legislation. Last week, Obama boasted to
Democratic donors that he hasn't had to wield his veto pen as often as
some had predicted, given Republican control of Congress. He said GOP
leaders "can't even pass their own priorities, so that I don't generally
even have to veto anything because they can't get organized enough even to
present the cockamamie legislation that theyre interested in passing."
The White House has acknowledged the possibility of an override. "You
don't have to have an advanced degree in math to understand the
significant support that exists in the United States Congress for this
bill," Earnest said last week. "But the concerns that we have about this
legislation are significant and there are many members of Congress who are
sympathetic to the argument."
--
His Omnipotence Barack Hussein Obama, declared himself "Pooptator" of all
mentally ill homosexuals and crossdressers, while declaring where they
will defecate.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $19 trillion in the seven
years he has been in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
Barack Obama, reelected by the dumbest voters in the history of the United
States of America. The only American president to deliberately import a
lethal infectious disease from Africa, Ebola.
Loretta Fuddy, killed after she "verified" Obama's phony birth
certificate.
Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
in order to cover up his own ineptitude.
Obama continues his muslim goal of disarming America while ObamaCare
increases insurance premiums 300% and leaves millions without health care.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ***@netfront.net ---
terrorism-lawsuit-bill-setting-up-override-battle/90407496/
WASHINGTON President Obama made good on his threat to veto a bill
allowing lawsuits against foreign sponsors of terrorism Friday, setting up
what could be the most contentious veto override vote of his presidency.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA, would provide an
exception to the doctrine of "sovereign immunity," which holds that one
country can't be sued in another country's courts.
In an extraordinary three-page veto message to Congress, Obama said he has
"deep sympathy" for the families of victims of terrorism, but that the
legislation would interfere with the president's ability to conduct
foreign policy.
"I recognize that there is nothing that could ever erase the grief the
9/11 families have endured," Obama said. "Enacting JASTA into law,
however, would neither protect Americans from terrorist attacks nor
improve the effectiveness of our response to such attacks."
The veto came on the last possible day for Obama to act under the
Constitution, which gives the president 10 days (excluding Sundays) to
veto a bill before it automatically becomes law. The White House had been
stalling for time in hopes of changing minds on Capitol Hill.
"We certainly are counting votes and having a number of conversations with
members of Congress in both parties and both houses of Congress," White
House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said Friday. "I'm also acknowledging
that the politics of the situation are really tough. And if anything, I
think that is an illustration of the principled nature of the president's
position. The president's not blind to the politics of the situation."
Families of terror victims have lobbied for the bill, which would allow
them to sue Saudi Arabian officials who intelligence agencies have
suggested had ties to the hijackers of the four planes used in the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. But the bill would
also allow lawsuits against other countries as well.
The White House has argued that the bill would prompt other nations to
retaliate, stripping the immunity the United States enjoys in other parts
of the world. "And no country has more to lose, in the context of those
exceptions, than the United States of America, given the preeminent role
that we play in global affairs," Earnest said.
The veto was the 12th of Obama's presidency, and the first to face the
serious prospect of a veto override. It would take a two-thirds vote of
both chambers for the bill to become law over Obama's objections
concerns that Congress was already aware of when it passed the bill by
voice vote, suggesting near unanimous support.
The bill now goes back to the Senate, where its sponsor, Sen. John Cornyn,
R-Texas, has already promised quick action to override.
"It is really inexplicable to me that the president would talk about
vetoing this opportunity for the victims of 9/11 and their families to be
able to make their case in court," he said last week. "I would love to
have him sign the legislation into law, but if he decides to veto it, I
hope he does it quickly so we can just as quickly vote to override that
veto. There is no reason why we need to make these families wait any
longer."
Even if Congress sustains the veto, both major candidates for president
say they support the measure and would sign it. Democrat Hillary Clinton
said she supports the legislation "to hold accountable those responsible"
for the 2001 terrorist attacks; Republican Donald Trump called Obama's
veto "one of the low points of his presidency."
Both the House and Senate had hoped to depart Friday for a fall recess in
order to campaign, but are stuck in Washington to hammer out a spending
bill by Oct. 1 to avert a government shutdown. When Congress is not in
session, the president can issue a "pocket" veto, which can't be overriden
but that tool is no longer an option.
Most of Obama's vetoes have come in the past year, and Democrats have been
able to rebuff override attempts. But even the threat of a veto has been
enough to stave off some GOP legislation. Last week, Obama boasted to
Democratic donors that he hasn't had to wield his veto pen as often as
some had predicted, given Republican control of Congress. He said GOP
leaders "can't even pass their own priorities, so that I don't generally
even have to veto anything because they can't get organized enough even to
present the cockamamie legislation that theyre interested in passing."
The White House has acknowledged the possibility of an override. "You
don't have to have an advanced degree in math to understand the
significant support that exists in the United States Congress for this
bill," Earnest said last week. "But the concerns that we have about this
legislation are significant and there are many members of Congress who are
sympathetic to the argument."
--
His Omnipotence Barack Hussein Obama, declared himself "Pooptator" of all
mentally ill homosexuals and crossdressers, while declaring where they
will defecate.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $19 trillion in the seven
years he has been in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood
queer liberal democrat donors.
Barack Obama, reelected by the dumbest voters in the history of the United
States of America. The only American president to deliberately import a
lethal infectious disease from Africa, Ebola.
Loretta Fuddy, killed after she "verified" Obama's phony birth
certificate.
Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then
relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder
in order to cover up his own ineptitude.
Obama continues his muslim goal of disarming America while ObamaCare
increases insurance premiums 300% and leaves millions without health care.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ***@netfront.net ---
