W000160
Tuesday, November 06, 2001 10:26 PM
Expediting relief is the key
As long as the federal government's guidelines for providing compensation for the 9/11 victims and their families are unclear or undecided, charities are frozen out and donors are discouraged. The victims and families are left waiting, compounding the tragedy. We need to move ahead quickly.
If the federal government is to play a meaningful role in providing relief for the victims, it must be the FIRST line of defense, as FEMA most commonly is during any other major disaster.
The federal government should seek out and compensate victims as quickly as possible. Then, if charities subsequently choose to provide additional benefits to victims as they see the need, it is none of the federal government's concern.
Consistent with being the first line of defense (after insurance and pensions), the government should commit to paying for all or for a generous and specific portion of a range of expenses that all victims and their families are likely to incur. And especially because so much time has already passed, the federal government must be very clear about what will and will not be compensated. For example, the government could publish a schedule for funeral expenses. If these have already been paid by a charity, then the charity should be reimbursed.
Develop a list of all losses and expenses to be compensated, and pay on all of them. Then let the charities fill in the holes.
I urge you not to wait even one more day to develop and publish these guidelines.
Congress acted expeditiously in passing legislation authorizing this compensation. The Executive Branch should not procrastinate any longer to alleviate the suffering. You should resolve to process claims and cut checks to every known victim and family before the end of the year, and act immediately to do whatever is necessary to make that happen.
Individual Comment