It’s time to honor dead with JASTA

The families are outraged and disappointed at President Obama’s veto of JASTA and the unsupportable reasons the White House continues to offer as explanation.

No matter how many millions of dollars (upward of $5 million as of today) the Saudis spend lobbying against this legislation, JASTA is a narrowly drawn statute that restores longstanding legal principles that the United States has supported for decades. It will deter terrorism attacks against our nation and hold accountable those nations that support and fund it. As long as there are wellfunded terrorist organizations vowing to kill and destroy us, we will never be safe. By holding accountable the nations that finance designated terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, which was responsible for training and recruiting the 19 hijackers who attacked us on 9/11, we will diminish the funding to these evil-doers and decrease their ability to carry out heinous terrorist attacks against our country.

Over the last few years, hundreds of family members have traveled to Washington, D.C., on behalf of JASTA, including myself.

This past Tuesday, hundreds attended to protest the impending veto. Many stayed and lobbied Congress for the next two days.

It’s time to honor the dead and protect the living — and override the veto!

To not follow through with an override vote would indicate a serious problem with Congress and their ability to maintain the commitment their unanimous vote has already established.

They should once again vote yes for JASTA and not yield to pressure from powerful foreign influences looking to escape accountability.

Strada is the widow of Tom Strada, who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. She is also the National Chair of the 9/11 Victims’ Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism.