U.S. House passes bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia

The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed legislation allowing the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts, despite the threat by the White House to veto the bill.

The bill, which passed the Senate unanimously in May, now heads to President Barack Obama's desk. The White House has expressed opposition to the measure.

It would require votes from two-thirds of the members in the House and Senate to override a veto.

"Given the concerns we have expressed, it's difficult to imagine the president signing this legislation," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said when the bill passed the Senate in May.

"This legislation would change long-standing, international law regarding sovereign immunity," Earnest said, adding that Obama continues to harbor "serious concerns" that this legislation would make the United States vulnerable in other court systems around the world.

The legislation has also drawn criticism from the Saudi government.