N001938
Thursday, January 17, 2002 11:45 AM
The Coalition for Victims Compensation
Attachment 1:
January 15, 2001
To Our Elected Officials:
Who is the government to determine the price of a life . . . All of the lives lost on September 11 were precious . . . no matter what their status in life, all are equal in death. . .
On a personal note: As a New Yorker, and a citizen of the United States of America, I am appalled by this. I am directly affected by this tragedy, having lost a family member and at work. I work in One Liberty Plaza, on the west side of the building and have to look everyday at what once was the World Trade Center. Not a day goes by when I don’t feel the loss . . . of family, friends, all New Yorkers and a way of life. It saddens me to think that the generosity of a nation has restrictions on it and families of those lost should not be penalized for it or for making a decent living while they were alive. Everyone lost should be treated equally!
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. As you know, this Fund was enacted as part of a comprehensive package which bailed out the airline industry and imposed restrictions of the rights of the victims" relatives to recover damages from court. We implore upon you, as our elected officials, to demand changes to the interim rules issued by Kenneth Feinberg, the Special Master. As it stands, Mr. Feinberg's self-imposed rules fail to satisfy the letter or the spirit of the legislation, which was enacted.
Specifically, we request that you act on our behalf and demand the following changes to the interim rules:
1. Remove arbitrary income limits.
The arbitrary income limits imposed by the Special Master 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 demand that Mr. Feinberg 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 rewards.
Mr. Feinberg has 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. A murder is particularly tragic. But to have your love one murdered in a burning building in full view of the world - in a scene which will be repeated in the media for decades to come - is a horror these families will never escape from The Special Master cannot take it upon himself to restrict the rights of the 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 help and 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