W000534
Sunday, November 25, 2001 2:36 PM
Collateral Sources
Gentlemen:
Although I live less than 15 miles west of
Lower Manhattan, no one in my family or circle
of friends was a victim of the 9-11 tragedy.
Nevertheless, I felt the need to respond to this
direct attack on New York City and, by extension,
the entire civilian population of the
United States of America.
At 6:30 A.M. on September 24, 2001, I mailed the
following contributions because I felt that if the
federal government did not have a clue as to how to
use the $300 that became my 2001 tax relief check,
I certainly did:
(1) $100: September 11 Fund
(2) $100: Star-Ledger (Newark, N.J.) Disaster Relief Fund
(3) $100: Twin Towers Fund
I concluded that the same federal government that was
unable to secure our commercial aviation system would
certainly be less than the ideal institution to attempt
to ameliorate the individual pain, suffering, and grief
it was helpless in preventing, despite its millions of
politicians, managers, workers, officers, and soldiers.
It was not until November 6, 2001, that I found out that
the Airline Stabilization Act that the president had
signed into law on September 24, 2001, included the
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. I felt
pleased that the federal government was both following
the lead of a compassionate and generous citizenry while
recognizing its total failure in substantiating its main
reason for existing: the protection of ordinary
citizens--not politicians and high-level bureaucrats, but
people like us--in our own homes and offices.
The language of the September 11th Victim Compensation
Fund of 2001 law is clear. If charity were to be treated
as a "collateral source," Congress would have listed it
along with "life insurance, pension funds, death benefit
programs, and payments by Federal, State, or local
governments related to the terrorist-related aircraft
crashes of September 11, 2001."
I cannot believe that 535 members of Congress, one president,
and hundreds of their paid staff members were as unaware of
large amounts of money building up in 9-11 charities as they
apparently were about the real costs of airline security.
A large amount of contributions collected on a national level
is not something that would go unnoticed by those who have
made a profession out of campaigning for public office.
I gave $300 to 9-11 charities because it was the right thing to
do, and I gave before the September 11th Victim Compensation
Fund of 2001 became law. By including charity as a collateral
source, it will have a chilling effect on private giving.
People will say, "Hey, let the Feds do it."
Charity should not be treated as a collateral source under
Public Law 107-42.
If, however, Congress feels strongly enough about making charity a
collateral source, let the members pass an amendment or another
law that includes specific language to that effect. Congress can
have a "do-over," too bad there are thousands from the 9-11
tragedy who can't.
Individual Comment
Maplewood, NJ