On Friday at 10:30am, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi will host a 9/11 memorial event on the Capitol steps.
9/11 family members, survivors and other citizens are planning to be there too. Depending on Ryan’s actions this week with the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), their purpose will either be to publicly thank him for scheduling a vote on the measure or to publicly reprimand him for failing to do so.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) would modify U.S. sovereign immunity laws in a way that would clear the path for the families and surviving victims of the attacks to sue Saudi Arabia. It passed the Senate by unanimous voice vote, but now requires a vote in the House of Representatives.
Kathy Owens, who lost her husband Peter in the attacks and is helping to organize Friday’s activism, says it’s difficult to watch elected officials commemorate the attacks while continuing to shield Saudi Arabia from facing 9/11 families in court.
“It’s outrageous that they would say they’re honoring the victims when they have been blocking justice for them. It’s really hypocrisy for them to attend ceremonies and make speeches about 9/11 victims when after 15 years there’s been no justice or accountability,” Owens said.
If you’re interested in attending, please fill out this online form to help the organizers gauge interest and plan for logistics, which may include transportation for 9/11 families and survivors in the New York area. If you have questions, email passjasta@gmail.com.
Help This 15-Year Fight for Justice
9/11 family members and survivors have been fighting for nearly 15 years for the chance to present a courtroom case against Saudi Arabia for its alleged role in supporting the hijackers who killed nearly 3,000 people. Whether you can attend Friday’s memorial or make a phone call, your involvement can help make that vote happen.
Please leave a voicemail for Speaker of the House Paul Ryan today.
Call 202-225-3031 and press 6 to leave a recorded message: “My name is _______ and I want Speaker Ryan to put the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act to the floor for a vote this week, before the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.”
Please take action right away: You can make this quick call any time of day. If you’d prefer to send a written message via the Speaker’s website, you can do so using this online form. Extra credit: Call House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at 202-225-2915 and tell him the same thing.
Another Avenue for Achieving Transparency
The declassified 28 pages revealed many new connections between the Saudi government and the 9/11 plotters, but the executive branch is still concealing important information from the American people—from 80,000 FBI pages relating to the disappearance of a wealthy Saudi family in Florida that was in apparent contact with the hijackers to countless 9/11 Commission documents. Through the discovery process associated with a court case, the judicial branch may be our best shot to pry these documents loose and bring the full truth about Saudi links to 9/11 to light.
28Pages.org 