Congress has voted to allow the families of victims of 9/11 to sue Saudia Arabia for its alleged involvement in the terrorist attacks. The new legislation solidified only after Congress overrode President Obama’s veto. The override was overwhelming-- only two of Massachusett’s delegates voted with the President to keep the bill from becoming law.
One of those delegates was Jim McGovern, and he called in to BPR to talk to Jim and Margery about his choice to support President Obama’s veto. He says the legislation could cause serious problems for Americans abroad and at home, because it opens up the possibility for retribution on behalf of foreign governments.
“Depending on where you may live, you may think that some of the things that the American government does are not particularly good,” he said. “You could see a situation in which countries could then turn around and sue the United States.”
McGovern admits that he originally considered voting to override the veto, but after learning more about the potential consequences of the bill, he changed his mind. He also derides his fellow legislators for claiming that the bill was not thoroughly explained.
“The idea that this is a surprise... is a little bit ridiculous,” said McGovern. “All you had to do was read the memo or go to one of the briefings.”
To listen to the entire conversation with Congressman McGovern click on the audio link above
He also noted his belief in helping the families of the victims of 9/11, although he said this bill will not be effective in achieving that goal.
“We want to help the families who lost loved ones in 9/11,” said McGovern. “Unfortunately, sometimes good intentions don’t always translate into good legislation.”
