"If the Saudis did not participate (in the Sept. 11 attacks) they have nothing to worry about," Sen. Chuck Schumer said at a news conference Tuesday. "If they did, they should be held accountable." | AP Photo Senate OKs bill allowing 9/11 suits vs. Saudi Arabia

The Senate unanimously passed legislation Tuesday that would allow families of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to hold the government of Saudi Arabia legally accountable — setting up a showdown with the White House, which has opposed the bill.

The measure, spearheaded by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), is called the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.


“If the Saudis did not participate [in the Sept. 11 attacks], they have nothing to worry about,” Schumer said at a news conference Tuesday. “If they did, they should be held accountable.”

The legislation would prevent governments complicit in terrorist attacks in the United States from invoking so-called sovereign immunity as a legal shield. It also would allow civil litigation against foreign entities complicit in terrorism to proceed. The measure passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously in January.

Family members of several Sept. 11 victims praised the passage of the legislation Tuesday, saying in a statement, “The American people, as well as our families, deserve the truth about Sept. 11 and those responsible deserve to be held to account.”

The Schumer-Cornyn bill “promises us the truth, accountability and a strong warning that the United States finally will stand behind its promise of justice to those who were injured and the survivors of the 3,000 children, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands who were murdered in our homeland on Sept. 11,” the family members said.

But the White House opposes the legislation, and Saudi officials have warned that the Saudi government could sell $750 billion in U.S. assets if the bill were to become law. President Barack Obama, himself, has said he is concerned that the Senate bill could open up the United States to litigation, as well.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest stood by Obama’s position on Tuesday, arguing that the revisions made by the bill’s authors weren’t sufficient to resolve the administration’s concerns about potential unintended consequences.

“This legislation would change longstanding international law regarding sovereign immunity,” Earnest said Tuesday. “The president of the United States continues to harbor serious concerns that this legislation would make the United States vulnerable in other court systems around the world.”

Both Schumer and Cornyn dismissed the Saudi government’s warnings as “hollow threats” and defended their legislation as narrowly tailored.

As for the White House objection, Schumer responded: “We don’t think their arguments hold up.”

Senators made some revisions to the legislation since the committee-passed version earlier this year. For example, new language in the bill allows the Justice Department to seek a delay of any litigation if the government can show it is in “good faith” discussions to resolve the issue.

Cornyn and Schumer said they would be urging House leadership to quickly pass the legislation. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has taken a cautious position, saying the bill’s potential impact and unintended consequences should be reviewed.

Nick Gass contributed to this report.

