Congress votes to override Obama veto

• In a resounding rebuke, Democrats j oined with Republicans Wednesday to hand Barack Obama the first veto override of his presidency, voting overwhelmingly to allow families of 9/ 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts for its alleged backing of the attackers.

Both the House and Senate voted decisively to reverse Obama’s decision to scuttle the legislation. Democrats in both chambers abandoned the president in large numbers despite warnings from Obama and top national security officials that flaws in the bill could put U. S. interests, troops and intelli- gence personnel at risk.

The Senate vote was 97-1, with only Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid backing the president. The House vote a few hours later was 348-77, with 123 Democrats rebuffing the president and voting to override. Obama said during a CNN interview that overriding his veto was a mistake that may set a “dangerous precedent.”

Lawmakers said t heir priority wasn’t Saudi Ara- bia, but the 9/11 victims and their families who continue to demand justice 15 years after attackers killed nearly 3,000 people. Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudis.

Republicans and Democrats said the White House had been slow to respond to the bill and miscalculated lawmakers’ intent to act on the legislation along with the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks. When Obama and senior national security officials such as Defence Secretary Ash Carter finally weighed in, it was too late.

Republican Sen. Bob Corker chided the White House for being outraged over the outcome when the administration did so little to sustain the president’s veto.

“There was zero desire to sit down and talk about a way to get to a better outcome. Zero,” Corker said. “To my knowledge, I don’t know of a call from Obama to a single senator over this.”