N002601
January 16, 2002
Mr. Kenneth Feinberg
Special Master
U.S. Dept. of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530-0001
Dear Mr. Feinberg,
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. This Fund was enacted as a part of a
comprehensive package which bailed out the airline industry and imposed restrictions on
the rights of the victims relatives to recover damages from the court. We implore you to
change the interim rules you previously issued. As it stands the rules fail to satisfy the
letter or spirit of the legislation, which was enacted.
Specifically, we request that you make the following changes to the interim rules:
1. Remove arbitrary income limits
The arbitrary income limits you had imposed 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 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 awards
You have 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. But to have your loved one murdered
in a burning building in full view of the world-in scene that will be repeated in the
media for decades to come-is a horror these families will never escape from. You
cannot take it upon yourself to restrict the rights of 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 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
West Hempstead, NY