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American Morning

Deadline Tonight for Families of 9/11 Victims to File Claims for Federal Compensation

Aired December 22, 2003 - 07:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the deadline is midnight tonight for families of 9/11 victims who wish to file claims for federal compensation money. Thanks to a last minute surge, 87 percent of the eligible families, 87 percent had signed up as of Friday.
The fund's administrator hopes even more families will register. He is Ken Feinberg and he joins us now from Washington.

Thanks very much for being with us, Ken.

KENNETH FEINBERG, ADMINISTRATOR, SEPTEMBER 11 VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND: Thank you.

COOPER: Soon after taking command of this operation, you predicted that some 90 percent of the families would ultimately apply.

How did you know? And do you think you're actually going to surpass that 90 percent?

FEINBERG: We have surpassed it. Over the weekend, we're now at about 92 percent, with one day to go. I anticipated that because of the grief involved with these families, so soon after 9/11, that it would take a year and a half or two years before the great majority of them, at the eleventh hour, would sign up. And that's exactly what is happening.

COOPER: And yet there are some families who are going ahead with lawsuits and there are some families who simply have not filled out the forms.

Do you understand why, why that is?

FEINBERG: Well, those that are going forward with the lawsuit -- and there are only a handful, about 73 in total -- they have the right to do that under the statute. The ones, the families that haven't filed, I think it is primarily grief. They tell me when I meet with them, Mr. Feinberg, I cannot put pen to paper. I am paralyzed with grief. It is too soon after 9/11. But I believe we have been successful in reaching most of them.

COOPER: And you're saying now you can fill out just the first two pages of the form by the deadline and that will be sufficient enough, is that correct?

FEINBERG: That's correct. I just need the name of the claimant and the name of the victim and get me the first couple of pages, an address and how we can contact you. That will basically be sufficient to get in under the statutory deadline.

COOPER: You know, probably, a lot of people probably don't realize you are not getting paid for what you are doing.

What is it that you have learned most in all of this, in this entire process? What do...

FEINBERG: The American public. Only in America could there be a program like this. You wouldn't find a program paying, on average, $1.8 million tax-free, to eligible families. This is an unprecedented, unique program and exhibits, I think, the best of the American public.

COOPER: If, god forbid, there is another incident like this and another fund like this, should something be different? I mean this was really never done before. What have we learned? What needs to improve?

FEINBERG: Well, I think that this is a precedent. If it happens again, I mean I'm sure Congress will consider it. I think after the program expires we'll be processing claims into next year. We'll step back. The attorney general has already suggested -- he's been a big supporter of this program -- that I should issue a report to him and to the Congress. And I think Congress will take a hard look at whether the program should be repeated, if necessary, god forbid, and what changes should be made in the program.

COOPER: Do you feel a sense of relief as you near this deadline?

FEINBERG: Well, I have a sense of relief that the great majority of families are in the program. I was concerned months ago, when we had less than half of the families signed up, that the program wasn't reaching the grieving. I am now quite relieved, as we head down the home stretch here today. We may get 95 percent of the families, and that is a tremendous, tremendous relief, not only to me, but everybody who supports the program.

COOPER: There have been some undocumented workers, many who died. And I guess some of their families maybe were reluctant to try to fill out these forms.

Have you seen those families, those loved ones coming forward?

FEINBERG: Yes. We have gone into the family areas in New York and Washington and we have used victim's support groups. We have applications in foreign languages. We have met with most of them. I think the great majority of them, like the rest of the families, will file under the deadline.

COOPER: And the deadline is tonight.

Ken Feinberg, thanks for joining us.

FEINBERG: Thank you. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Claims for Federal Compensation>


Aired December 22, 2003 - 07:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the deadline is midnight tonight for families of 9/11 victims who wish to file claims for federal compensation money. Thanks to a last minute surge, 87 percent of the eligible families, 87 percent had signed up as of Friday.
The fund's administrator hopes even more families will register. He is Ken Feinberg and he joins us now from Washington.

Thanks very much for being with us, Ken.

KENNETH FEINBERG, ADMINISTRATOR, SEPTEMBER 11 VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND: Thank you.

COOPER: Soon after taking command of this operation, you predicted that some 90 percent of the families would ultimately apply.

How did you know? And do you think you're actually going to surpass that 90 percent?

FEINBERG: We have surpassed it. Over the weekend, we're now at about 92 percent, with one day to go. I anticipated that because of the grief involved with these families, so soon after 9/11, that it would take a year and a half or two years before the great majority of them, at the eleventh hour, would sign up. And that's exactly what is happening.

COOPER: And yet there are some families who are going ahead with lawsuits and there are some families who simply have not filled out the forms.

Do you understand why, why that is?

FEINBERG: Well, those that are going forward with the lawsuit -- and there are only a handful, about 73 in total -- they have the right to do that under the statute. The ones, the families that haven't filed, I think it is primarily grief. They tell me when I meet with them, Mr. Feinberg, I cannot put pen to paper. I am paralyzed with grief. It is too soon after 9/11. But I believe we have been successful in reaching most of them.

COOPER: And you're saying now you can fill out just the first two pages of the form by the deadline and that will be sufficient enough, is that correct?

FEINBERG: That's correct. I just need the name of the claimant and the name of the victim and get me the first couple of pages, an address and how we can contact you. That will basically be sufficient to get in under the statutory deadline.

COOPER: You know, probably, a lot of people probably don't realize you are not getting paid for what you are doing.

What is it that you have learned most in all of this, in this entire process? What do...

FEINBERG: The American public. Only in America could there be a program like this. You wouldn't find a program paying, on average, $1.8 million tax-free, to eligible families. This is an unprecedented, unique program and exhibits, I think, the best of the American public.

COOPER: If, god forbid, there is another incident like this and another fund like this, should something be different? I mean this was really never done before. What have we learned? What needs to improve?

FEINBERG: Well, I think that this is a precedent. If it happens again, I mean I'm sure Congress will consider it. I think after the program expires we'll be processing claims into next year. We'll step back. The attorney general has already suggested -- he's been a big supporter of this program -- that I should issue a report to him and to the Congress. And I think Congress will take a hard look at whether the program should be repeated, if necessary, god forbid, and what changes should be made in the program.

COOPER: Do you feel a sense of relief as you near this deadline?

FEINBERG: Well, I have a sense of relief that the great majority of families are in the program. I was concerned months ago, when we had less than half of the families signed up, that the program wasn't reaching the grieving. I am now quite relieved, as we head down the home stretch here today. We may get 95 percent of the families, and that is a tremendous, tremendous relief, not only to me, but everybody who supports the program.

COOPER: There have been some undocumented workers, many who died. And I guess some of their families maybe were reluctant to try to fill out these forms.

Have you seen those families, those loved ones coming forward?

FEINBERG: Yes. We have gone into the family areas in New York and Washington and we have used victim's support groups. We have applications in foreign languages. We have met with most of them. I think the great majority of them, like the rest of the families, will file under the deadline.

COOPER: And the deadline is tonight.

Ken Feinberg, thanks for joining us.

FEINBERG: Thank you. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Claims for Federal Compensation>