ByA Breakdown of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Vote
The battle for the Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act has a long and compelling history. The majority of U.S. citizens agree that the survivors of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center deserve victim compensation for the financial loss they’ve suffered. For a long time, the Senate was reluctant to provide the funding and enact the act.
This article will provide information about the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund vote and how and when the act was finally passed.
The History of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund
Shortly after the 9/11 Twin Towers attack, the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act led to the creation of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF).
Like other victim funds for violent crimes, the VCF aims to reimburse the victims and their families for the expenses that resulted from the attack. In exchange for the monetary compensation, the victims should agree not to sue the airline companies involved in the attack.
The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund was initially active from 2001 to 2004. During that time, the Fund processed claims and compensated victims or their family members for injuries and deaths that were a direct result of the WTC attack.
In 2011, then-president Barack Obama signed the First Responders Bill, better known as the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The passing of the First Responders Bill reactivated the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. The goal of the re-opened VCF was, and still is, to compensate first responders and other individuals who developed illnesses and health problems related to the attack.
9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Vote Results
In 2015, Congress reauthorized the James Zadroga Act for 90 years, but the Victim Compensation Fund had the budget only for the next five. To avoid delaying and making steep cuts to the victim compensation payouts, the VCF had to be re-established.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 402 to 12 to pass the bill. Lawmakers that voted against the bill included 11 Republican and one Libertarian representative.
The Senate then passed the act with 97 votes for and two votes against it. On July 29, 2019, then-president Donald Trump signed the act into law, permanently authorizing the extension of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund through 2092.
Who Voted Against the 9/11 Victims Compensation Bill?
The 9/11 Victim Compensation bill passed almost unanimously, leaving people with the burning question—who did not vote for the victim fund reauthorization?
Rand Paul, senator of Kentucky, prevented the Senate from voting, and senator of Utah, Mike Lee, put a procedural hold on the legislation, preventing the bill from passing in the Senate. Both of these senators are Republican party representatives.
Why did Republicans vote no on the victim compensation 9/11 bill? Some Republicans opposed passing the original James Zadroga act because of the estimated $7 billion budget. Republicans opposed the bill in 2015 for the same reason as in 2011. The Congressional Budget Office estimated the budget for the re-established Victim Compensation Fund at $10.2 billion. This made several Republicans complain about spending that much money with a trillion-dollar deficit and $22 trillion in national debt, according to Senator Paul. The strong opposition of the Republican party infuriated other Senators and the public.
9/11 Victims Fund Bill Today—Everything You Need To Know
The Victim Compensation Fund functions today at full capacity. In the table below, you can check out the categories enabled to file claims with the VCF and the requirements they have to meet:
| Who Can File a Claim With the VCF? | What Are They Required To Do? |
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The deadline for filing a claim is October 1, 2090, but the registration deadline can differ from case to case. The registration deadlines are:
- July 29, 2021, for all the cases from before July 29, 2019
- Within two years of the date of death, for filing claims on behalf of someone who died from 9/11-related injury or illness after July 29, 2019
If you want to learn how much each victim received from the VCF or about other crime victim compensation amounts, and get all the information.
How To File a Claim With the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Using DoNotPay
Besides learning about the VCF and other crime victim compensation funds, with DoNotPay, you can apply for reimbursement with zero hassle.
Here’s what you need to do to file a claim:
- in your web browser
- Locate the Compensation for Crime Victims service
- Specify whether you are the victim or representative and inform us about the expenses you are looking to compensate
- Provide information through a series of questions about the crime
After you verify your signature, we will complete the form and submit the application to the Victim Compensation Fund.
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