W000219
Wednesday, November 07, 2001 9:14 PM
victim compensation
Dear Sirs:
Although I feel for the victims of the 9/11/01 tragedy, I do not think the US Government should be involved in any compensation for victims or relatives. This is an area best handled by agencies already in place for collecting and dispursing donations. Private insurance, pensions, gifts and monies confiscated from the accounts of those involved in the acts of terror or other criminal act should be utilized.
The problems of identifying those qualifyng for benefits, trying to determine the harm to those claimants and then having to determine the parity of the benefits is not anything the government should attempt. By no means should any payment to any representing attorney be considered.
If the decision is made to provide compensation, the funds available should be dispursed equally to those qualifying according to class of loss-i.e.,survivor with minor injury-survivor wth disabling injury- survivor with loss of limb- surviving spouse without children from a deceased victim -surviving spouse with children from a deceased vicitim-with no consideration to amounts of collateral compensation. The cost of dispursement in any other manner would soon be as much as the award.
If dispursed equally to all in a particular category, there should be no reason to appeal and therefore no right to appeal. This should not be or become an entitlement program.
I would also ask you to consider the precedent of any action. Will you now consider compensation to any victim or relative of any terrorist act, an act of war, civil unrest, etc. Let charitable organizations and private insurance handle this.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment