From Politico: Congress hands Obama first veto override

I did not call this correctly.

- Click here for info on S.2040 - Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act.

- Click here for the article.

Congress overwhelmingly rejected President Barack Obama’s bid to derail legislation allowing families of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to sue the government of Saudi Arabia, handing him the first veto override of his presidency during his final year in office.

The Senate took the first step Wednesday, voting 97-1 to override Obama's veto of the 9/11 bill. The House quickly followed with a 348-77 vote.

The sweeping popularity of the legislation — known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act — made it basically inevitable that the measure would ultimately become law, despite fierce objections from the Obama administration. The bill, known informally as JASTA, sailed through the Senate with no objections in the spring and was voice-voted in the House earlier this month.

“This legislation is really about pursuing justice,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas), one of the chief sponsors of the bill, along with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). “The families have already suffered too much. They’ve already suffered untold tragedy, of course, and they deserve to find a path to closure that only justice can provide.”

Schumer said "overriding a presidential veto is something we don't take lightly."

"But it was important in this case that the families of the victims of 9/11 be allowed to pursue justice," Schumer added. "Even if that pursuit causes some diplomatic discomforts."

- For House activity on 9/28/16 click here.
- For the vote in the House click here.
- For the vote in the Senate click here.

Override in the Works?

President Bush may face his first veto override next week.

It concerns his recent veto of a $23 billion water construction bill that include spending projects considered important to many Republicans in Congress.

Two items covered in 2302--the legislature--help explain this: the distributive tendency and constituency service. This may also be an indication that the President's lame duck status, which has been at bay recently, may finally be catching up to him.