The passing of the bill happened two days before the U.S. and the rest of the world pay tribute to the more than 3,000 victims of the 9/11 attacks.
Also known as Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, the bill was approved amid early objections of the White House to link the government of Saudi Arabia in the September 11 attacks. This bill will allow U.S. courts to hear cases against any country for injuries or death as a result of terrorist attack.
Last July, the White House, through press secretary Josh Earnest, maintained that the 9/11 Commission find no evidence linking the government of Saudi Arabia, or any of its official, to the attack.
"They [9/11 Commission] found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution, or senior Saudi officials individually funded al Qaeda," according to Earnest.
The White House official also disclosed that the FBI conducted some works as a part of the 9/11 Review Commission and find no new evidence that would change the 9/11 Commission's findings.
The White House believed that the newly enacted bill will endanger U.S. companies and personnel when they do business or official work in other countries.
"The way that this law is written could open up U.S. companies and even potentially U.S. personnel to vulnerabilities when they're engaged in actions or doing business or conducting official government work overseas," Earnest pointed out.
The White House believed that the bill will harm the principle related to sovereign immunity, a principle by which the U.S. founded its relations to other countries.
"When you're the most powerful country in the world, you're invested in the idea of sovereign immunity, given how deeply the United States is involved in so many other countries. So we believe that's a principle worth protecting," said the White House official.
Sen. John Cornyn, sponsor of the bill, called on President Obama to sign the bill into law, according to a Buzzfeed report.
"Today's vote sends an unmistakable message that we should combat terrorism with every tool we have, and that the families of those lost in attacks like that on September 11th should have every means at their disposal to seek justice," said the senator.
