Political Quotes

“Mr. President, it is the 13th of December and, of course, with the holidays coming up, my thoughts today are with the families who will have an empty seat at their dinner table this year. The pain of losing a loved one never goes away. But for many families, the feelings of grief are only magnified by a lack of closure. More than 22 years have passed since the attacks on September 11, and the families of victims of that terrorist act are still fighting for justice. To support that fight, Senator Schumer--the majority leader--and I introduced the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act--otherwise known as JASTA--which became law in 2016. This made it possible for the people affected by 9/11 to bring a civil suit against foreign sponsors of terrorism. It didn't say who they were or make a judgment as to the outcome, but it made it possible for them to go to court and attempt to make their case. Like any other victim of a horrific attack, the 9/11 families deserve justice; and that is exactly what JASTA has sought to provide. Over the last several years, it has become clear that JASTA needs technical fixes, primarily because of the mixed interpretation about exactly what Congress intended. Some parties, including countries accused of financing and sponsoring terrorism, have exploited these perceived loopholes in the law and claimed total immunity from lawsuits. It is certainly not our intention. This flies in the face of the text, the structure, and the intent of Congress.…”