Riyadh: US President Barack Obama heads to Saudi Arabia amid tensions over congressional legislation which would potentially allow US to hold Saudi government for any role in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Mr Obama arrives in Riyadh on Wednesday to hold meetings with King Salman and other Saudi officials.
The bill has yet to make it to the Senate floor, but already it has triggered outrage in Riyadh and threatens to further poison the already strained ties between Washington and its longstanding Gulf ally.
The White House is desperate to scuttle the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, which has bipartisan support and would allow 9/11 victims' families to sue the Saudi government.
The bill would essentially waive the doctrine of sovereign immunity to say that "if you basically fund and sponsor terrorist attacks on American soil you can be liable for damages," said John Cornyn, the Senate's number two Republican and a sponsor of the bill.
Saudi Arabia has reportedly warned it could sell off several hundred billion dollars in American assets if Congress passes the measure.
The New York Times reported at the weekend that Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi foreign minister, told politicians in Washington last month the kingdom would be forced to sell up to $750 billion (£525 billion) in treasury securities and other assets in the United States to avoid having them frozen by US courts.
The White House said on Monday Obama would veto the measure.
"Our concerns about this law are not related to its impact on our relationship with a particular country," said Josh Earnest, White House press secretary.
"The concern that we have is simply this: it could put the United States and our taxpayers and our service members and our diplomats at significant risk if other countries were to adopt a similar law."