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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement today after the Senate voted 97-1 to override President Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (S.2040), legislation that would allow the victims of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil or their family members to sue countries who support terrorism:

“This is about holding anyone who supports terrorists accountable, and getting their victims the justice they deserve. I support this legislation and voted to override the President’s veto because foreign governments who sponsor terrorism should have to pay if they’re found liable of supporting terrorist attacks on American soil. As the law recognizes, sovereign immunity for legitimate government actions, including lawful warfare, remains an important principle which the U.S. and our international partners must continue to protect.

“As I said last week, I believe that a strong U.S.-Saudi military partnership is essential to our efforts to address ongoing challenges in the Middle East, a region that remains closely tied to our security.‎ This bill does not change that, but instead makes clear that those responsible for horrific crimes against our citizens will ultimately be held accountable under our justice system.”