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CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Washington, DC 20515
January 28, 2002
The Honorable John Ashcroft
Attorney General
Office of the Attorney General
Department of Justice
Main Justice Building Room 5111
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Attorney General Ashcroft:
As a result of constituents who have lost family members in the events of September 11th
having contacted me and shared with me their concerns regarding the interim final rule for
September
11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001, I have introduced a resolution in the House of
Representatives, H.Con.Res. 302, which I would like to bring to your attention.
H.Con.Res.302 urges the Department of Justice to seek subrogation, as authorized in section
409 of the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, from Osama Bin Laden, other
members of Al-Qaeda, and any other individual or organization determined to be responsible for
the
terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, with respect to claims paid under the
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. Also, it calls upon the President to
liquidate the
assets of those responsible for the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001, which
have
been blocked or confiscated by the United States, as authorized in section 106 of the USA
PATRIOT
ACT, and to use the amounts from liquidation to pay claims or reimburse the Government for
claims
paid under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.
As I discussed in my written comment to Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg regarding the
interim final rule for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001, the purpose of the
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 is to provide expedited, fair, financial relief
for
those most devastated by the events of September 11th, sparing these individuals from having to
go to
court to litigate for years at excessive cost and constantly having to relive the horrible events of
that day.
This financial relief, though, comes from the generosity of the American taxpayers, who were not
the
wrongdoers in the events of September 11th. I believe that it is, therefore, only appropriate that
those
who committed the evil act of September 11th forfeit their assets to pay the claims of the victims.
Additionally, it is my hope that if Special Master Feinberg knew that ultimately, the funding
for
the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund would be coming from those who committed the
evil
acts of September 11th, then he would re-evaluate the amounts the interim final rule for the
September
11th Victim compensation Fund of 2001 plans to award the victims' families. While no amount
of
money will ever compensate for the loss of a loved one, we must provide these families with the
financial support that will help them as much as possible.
I respectfully request that you give serious consideration to the ideas contained in my
resolution.
I would be very pleased to discuss them with you. I look forward to working together with you
on this
important matter and thank you for your leadership during these difficult times.
Sincerely,
Comment by:
Steven R. Rothman
Member of Congress
Washington, DC
SRR:ak
Attachment 1
107th CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H.CON.RES. 302
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION