*** Obama to veto bill that harms Saudi Arabia | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Obama to veto bill that harms Saudi Arabia

 Washington : US President Barack Obama would veto a bill passed by both houses of Congress that would allow survivors and families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for damages, White House spokesman Josh Earnest has said.

“It’s not hard to imagine other countries using this law as an excuse to haul US diplomats or US service members or even US companies into courts all around the world,” Earnest told reporters in a daily briefing.

“I do anticipate the president would veto this legislation when it is presented to him,” he said. The House of Representatives passed the bill by voice vote, without objections, on Friday, after the Senate passed it unanimously in May, clearing the way for it to go to the White House for Obama to sign into law or veto.

Congressional aides said the measure appeared to have enough support, two-thirds majorities in both the Senate and House, for lawmakers to override an Obama veto for the first time since he took office in January 2009. However, it was not clear when the vote would take place.