dojN001909.xml

dojN001909.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2002-01-16

Wednesday, January 16, 2002 6:24 PM
Interim Rules - Victims' Compensation Fund


Dear Mr. Zwick:


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 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. 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,"every 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 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 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
Chicago, IL

2002-01-16