N001907
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 5:58 PM
I am a member of the Families of September 11, and we represent a large group
of fiancees/domestic partners. Since this fund was legislated federally and
is distributing federal funds we feel we should be treated equally as spouses
(since we all had set wedding dates and our fiances had already asked us to
be their wives/husbands). When this fund was set up by congressional
legislation last September it was to compensate not only for earnings and
pain/suffering (which we are the only ones who suffered a financial loss),
but also for 'loss of companianship", "loss of domestic service" etc. This
should apply to us as fiancees /domestic partners as well. We are concerned
with the exclusive effect of this proposal. It appears, however, to have been
the intention of the Act to limit compensation to "relatives." If this is
construed to mean relatives at law, many deserving individuals with close
relationships in fact (i.e., co-habiting partners, survivors of engaged
couples, step-children, etc.) who are injured survivors will be excluded. The
regulations should more broadly define "relative" to include de facto
relatives Please read my attached letter expressing our concerns regarding
the non-recognition of fiances/domestic partners in the federal fund. If we
are not taken into account then the money will solely be awarded to the
parents of the victim, who were not affected financially. You cannot expect
that the parents will "do-the-right-thing" and share the award with their
son's/daughter's fiance/domestic partner. We have already seen many cases
where people have already not taken the "morally correct" approach. We need
to be recognized because our partners/fiances had promised to take care of us
forever, just as a spouse. A spouse is the first receipient of the fund, and
a fiance/domestic partner should receive the identical rights of a spouse and
not be punished because they were cheated out of their wedding.
Individual Comment