dojN002258.xml

dojN002258.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-01-15

January 15, 2001
To Kenneth L. Zwick, Department of Justice:

In the immediate aftermath of the tragic attack of The United States, on September 11,
Congress enacted the Victims "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 of the
rights of the victims" relatives to recover damages from 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 failto 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. Remove arbitrary income limits.
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. Increase non-economic rewards.
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
Congressman Peter King,"Severy death is tragic. A murder is particularly tragic. But to have
your love 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 immeasurable pain and suffering endured by our loved ones. As
Mayor Giuliani stated in his 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 that compensation for pain and
suffering more accurately reflect that horror which was suffered. Justice demands no less.

Sincerely,


Individual Comment
Hoboken, NJ

2001-01-15