A004596
14 December 2001
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer
United States House of Representatives
1705 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
Fax 201.225.4300
The Honorable Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator from Maryland
Washington, DC fax--202.224.8858
The Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes
United States Senator from Maryland
Washington, DC fax--301.589.0589
Dear Senators Mikulski and Sarbanes, and Congressman Hoyer,
I am sending, via facsimile transmission, a letter addressed to Philip J. Perry, Acting
Associate Attorney General, United States Department of Justice, who is overseeing a review
of the Federal Victims' Compensation Fund. The Fund was established to offer financial
assistance to survivors of those killed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. I am writing
to Mr. Perry--and I appeal to you--to ask that wording in the Fund be modified to include
domestic partners, personal representatives, or the estate of those who were killed in the
attack on the Pentagon and on our country.
The reason I ask that you become advocates for this modification is that, at preset, my dear
friend and neighbor, , is not eligible to seek assistance from the Fund. Her
partner of eighteen years, , who worked as an analyst for , was killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the
Pentagon. Since that day, is facing not only the grief of her personal loss, but she also
must contend with financial uncertainties created by sudden death.
Please take a moment to read the letter to Mr. Perry and also to view the many signatures of
those who believe, as I do, that the Federal Victims' Compensation Fund should not exclude
such good neighbors, friends, citizens, and patriots as . I urge you to please
become advocates for permitting domestic partners to seek financial assistance from the
Federal Victim's Compensation Fund.
Respectfully,
At present, some survivors of those killed in the attack on the Pentagon on
September 11, 2001 are not eligible to seek financial aid form the Federal Victims'
Compensation Fund. In particular, domestic partners are ineligible for
consideration. We, the undersigned, ask that the wording of the Fund be modified
to allow domestic partners, personal representatives, and the estates of those who
were killed consideration by the Federal Victims' Compensation Fund.
Comment by Multiple Individuals:
Hyattsville, MD
Takoma Pk, MD
Columbia, MD
Laurel, MD
Silver Spring, MD
University Park, MD
Chevy Chase, MD
Wash, DC
Riverdale, MD
Bethesda, MD
Betlsville, MD
Lanham, MD
Ellicott City, MD
Adelphi, MD