Homeland Security: 9/11 Victim Relief Funds (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised Oct. 4, 2006 |
| Report Number |
RL31716 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
M. Ann Wolfe, Domestic Social Policy Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
In the first days following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, an unprecedented number of Americans contributed over $2.2 billion (some estimates run as high as $2.7 billion) in donations to assist in the relief of victims. According to the New York State Attorney General's office, over 250 new charitable funds were created in the weeks following the 9/11 crisis. The federal government responded to the attacks in various ways. In the first week after the disaster, Congress passed the 2001 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States (P.L. 107-38), part of which provided at least $20 billion for disaster recovery in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Then 12 days after the attack the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 (P.L. 107-42) became law. This $6 billion program is intended to compensate any individual (or the personal representative of a deceased individual) who was physically injured or killed as a result of the attack. Nearly 3,000 victim families are expected to apply for compensation. Attorney General Ashcroft appointed a Special Master who is presently in the process of distributing the fund. Congress also passed, and the President signed into law, the Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act of 2001 (P.L.107- 134). Among other things, this law states that victims will not be subject to federal income taxes for the year in which they died and also for the previous year.
