Bill Overview
Title: Fairness for 9/11 Families Act
Description: This bill authorizes and provides funding for lump-sum catch-up payments from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund to 9/11 victims, 9/11 spouses, and 9/11 dependents. The bill also rescinds specified unobligated funds that were provided to the Small Business Administration for the Paycheck Protection Program.
Sponsors: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Target Audience
Population: 9/11 victims, 9/11 spouses, and 9/11 dependents
Estimated Size: 25000
- The primary target population consists of individuals directly affected by the 9/11 attacks, including victims, their spouses, and dependents.
- The bill aims to provide financial compensation to these individuals through lump-sum payments as catch-up from a victims' fund.
- Additional effects of the bill relate to the reallocation of funds from the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program.
Reasoning
- The budget restriction of $4 billion USD over 10 years implies that the average yearly distributable amount will be capped at the same, with a likelihood of the policy's impact varying based on individual settlements.
- The target population consists of approximately 25,000 direct victims, spouses, and dependents of the 9/11 attacks in the US.
- Given the context, the policy is expected to have a significant impact on those directly affected by 9/11, while the rescinding of funds from the SBA's Paycheck Protection Program could have consequential effects on small business owners.
- The range and intensity of impact will differ dramatically between people who were directly affected by 9/11 and those whose livelihoods hinge more on the Paycheck Protection Program.
Simulated Interviews
Retired Firefighter (New York City, NY)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The catch-up payments are long overdue for families like ours who were directly impacted.
- I am a little concerned about the reallocation of funds from the Paycheck Protection Program since I have friends with small businesses who benefited from it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Small Business Owner (Arlington, VA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am worried about losing potential support from the Paycheck Protection Program.
- I empathize with 9/11 families but feel that reallocating funds could hurt small businesses like mine.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Teacher (Boston, MA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could provide my family with some much-needed financial stability and help for my children's education.
- It feels like a step towards recognizing the sacrifices of our loved ones.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
IT Specialist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe that families impacted by 9/11 deserve compensation, but I hope this doesn't adversely affect our broader economy.
- My wellbeing is unlikely to change significantly due to this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Healthcare Worker (Newark, NJ)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The payments would finally acknowledge and ease some of the long-standing financial struggles we've faced.
- It's a relief to see support being translated into action.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Freelancer (Miami, FL)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems well-intended, but I worry about its implications for small businesses and freelancers who have relied on SBA support.
- I don't expect my personal wellbeing to change much.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Corporate Executive (Chicago, IL)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The structure of this policy might address some financial concerns we've had since losing my father.
- A focus on these victims is crucial, but I hope for balance in national economic support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Veteran (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I support allocating funds to 9/11 families.
- Worry about veteran support programs losing available resources due to reallocation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Social Worker (Dallas, TX)
Age: 37 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I understand the immense value of these payments for struggling families of survivors.
- It's wise to analyze how this affects other societal support programs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Non-Profit Manager (Seattle, WA)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The act could significantly amplify the support we can offer families, particularly in financial counsel.
- I hope for a balanced approach in the redistribution of crucial funds.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $4000000000 (Low: $2500000000, High: $6000000000)
Year 2: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The size of the lump-sum payments is dynamically based on available funding and policy priorities.
- There might be public and political pressure influencing the fund allocation decisions to ensure perceived fairness and adequacy of compensation.
- Available unobligated funds from the PPP need to be verified, which may affect the offset estimates against the direct cost.