P000039
Wednesday, January 23, 2002 9:37 PM
(no subject)
I am a member of the Families of September 11, and we represent a large group
of fiancées/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 fiancées 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 companionship", "loss of domestic service" etc. This
should apply to us as fiancées /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.
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 fiancée/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/fiancées had promised to take care of
us forever, just as a spouse. A spouse is the first recipient of the fund,
and a fiancée/domestic partner should receive the identical rights of a
spouse and not be punished because they were cheated out of their wedding.
Individual Comment