dojN002262.xml

dojN002262.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2002-01-13

January 13, 2002


Dear Mr. Zwick,

In the immediate aftermath of the tragic attack of September 11 upon our nation, Congress
enacted the
Victim's Compensation Fund of 2001 P.L. 107-42, to compensate the relatives of the victims of
that
brutal attack. As you know, this fund was enacted as part of a comprehensive package which
bailed out
the airline industry and imposed restrictions on the rights of the victims' relatives to sue the
airlines in
court. We implore upon you, as our elected officials, to demand changes to the interim rules
issued by
Kenneth Feinberg, the Special Master. As it stands, Mr. Feinberg's self-imposed rules fail to
satisfy the
letter or the spirit of the legislation which was enacted.

Specifically, we request that you act on our behalf and demand the following changes to the
interim
rules:

1. The arbitrary income limits imposed by the Special Master are not only unfair but also
inconsistent with the letter and the spirit of the law. Those victims from the financial
industry
are specifically harmed by this limit. They were targeted and murdered precisely
because of the
jobs they held, and where they worked - the World Trade Center, the financial capital of
the
world, the embodiment of financial success. Those who achieved such success should
see that
reflected in their awards. They personified American business and commerce,
democracy and
freedom. We ask that you demand that Mr. Feinberg lift the arbitrary income limits so
that each
family can be treated fairly, commensurate with the support they provided their families
before
their death.

2. Mr. Feinberg has arbitrarily restricted the non-economic awards for pain and suffering,
no
matter what the extent of the pain and suffering. This is unacceptable. In the words of
Rep.
Peter King, "...every death is tragic. A murder is particularly tragic. But to have your
loved one
murdered in a burning building in full view of the world - in a scene which will be
repeated in the
media for decades to come - is a horror these families will never escape from....The
Special
Master cannot take it upon himself to restrict the rights of the families." Therefore, we
request
that the interim rules be amended to more appropriately compensate the victims'
families for the
immeasurable pain and suffering endured by our loved ones.

As Mayor Giuliani stated in this farewell address: "We have an obligation to the people who
did
die... Their families need to be protected just as if they had been alive, financially and every other
way
that we can help and assist their families....There should be no compromise about that ever...."
We
request that the interim rules be amended and redefined to the extent that income caps be
removed when
computing economic loss and that compensation for pain and suffering more accurately reflect
that horror
which was suffered. Justice demands no less.

Individual Comment
Stewart Manor, NY

2002-01-13