Messages from the Special Master

Dear Friends,

Dear Friends

Today, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”) publishes its first Quarterly Report of 2017 and I want to take the opportunity to give you an update on our progress.

As of March 31, the VCF has rendered over 15,500 compensation determinations, including initial awards on new claims, and revised awards on claims with amendments or appeals. These determinations total over $2.48 billion awarded to VCF claimants.

Effective November 3, 2016, Deborah Greenspan concluded her service as Deputy Special Master. Debby was instrumental to the success of the VCF from the time the initial program was enacted in 2001, through the reopening in 2011 and the recent reauthorization in 2015. Over the years, Debby brought her tremendous expertise and commitment to the victims of 9/11 to ensure a claims process that is transparent, equitable, and carefully considers the individual circumstances of each and every claim.

Dear Friends,

As we approach the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the work that the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”) has accomplished since its reopening in 2011, and to update you on our plans regarding the work that remains to do.

Dear Friends,

It has been exactly one month since I officially joined the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”). In that time, I have had the opportunity to immerse myself in the workings of the VCF and begin developing plans for the future so that we can meet the goal of processing claims in a thoughtful way, but without unnecessary delay. I am pleased to report that we are well on our way to meeting the immediate goals that I set when I joined the program last month.

Drodzy Przyjaciele, 
 

Dear Friends,

亲爱的朋友们： 
 
自从我开始担任 9/11 受害者赔偿基金（“VCF”）的特别监察官以来，我始终怀着深深的谦卑感。《扎德罗伽法案》于 2010 年通过并在 2015 年 12 月获得再次批准，我非常钦佩 VCF 团队在 Sheila Birnbaum 的坚定带领下所取得的显著进展。我在就任时也清楚意识到继续此项工作的紧迫性，这样才能快速、高效地处理索 赔，为遭受 2001 年 9/11 恐怖袭击的受害者提供全额赔偿。在过去五年中，Sheila 致力于设计、实施并运营一个公正透明的项目，此项目切合索赔者的需求和担忧，我在此对她展现的同情心和所作 的贡献表示感谢。我们现处于过渡阶段，我已向 VCF 员工清晰说明我们的第一要务是处理并支付索赔，与此同时需要考虑周全，并避免不必要的拖延。   我已经详细了解项目的最新进展，并将全力推进项目发展。

接下来，我非常高兴地宣布我们所取得的重大进展。首先，我们在支付 A 组索赔与评估、裁决 B 组索赔方面建立了新的里程碑。

Queridos amigos: 
 

VCF Team, 

It has been a great privilege and honor for me to serve as Special Master of the 9/11 VCF for the last five years.  With all of your steady and devoted hands, the claims process is now wellsettled and proceeding apace, and new procedures have been set up to address the challenges of the recent re-authorization.  I believe it is a good time to step down and hand the reins over to a new Special Master.

WASHINGTON – Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch today announced that she has chosen Rupa Bhattacharyya to head the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) after current VCF Special Master Sheila L. Birnbaum steps down later this month. 

Today, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (“VCF”) issued updated program statistics. The report includes statistics as of July 10, 2016 on the status of Group A payments, and information on the eligibility and compensation decisions for both Group A and Group B claims.

亲爱的朋友们： 

自 2015 年 12 月 VCF 再授权后，我已不时公布我们所取得的最新进展以及我们为执行再授权法 规所要求的变动所采取的各项措施。我已在数则消息中提到，更新法规及发布临时最终规则的法 定截止时间为 2016 年 6 月 15 日。经过数月对已更新法规的研究，以及与参与规则制定流程的 政府实体进行密切协调之后，我很高兴地宣布暂行最终规则自即日起生效，并已发布在网上供公 众查阅和审核。另外，此规则已正式发布于联邦公报中，并且为期 30 天的征求意见期也已开始。 有关如何提交意见的相关信息，请参阅相关文件。将此法规作为暂行最终规则发布后，一旦获得 B 组资金，我们即可开始做出 B 组赔偿决议。与此同时，请仍然允许我仔细考虑在规则发布后所 收到的任何意见，并在公布最终规则之前做出任何必要修改。

Dear Friends,

Estimados amigos,

Szanowni Państwo, od momentu reaktywacji funduszu VCF, która miała miejsce w grudniu 2015 roku, informuję Państwa na bieżąco o postępach i poszczególnych działaniach podejmowanych przez nas w celu wdrożenia zmian wymaganych zgodnie ze zmienioną ustawą. W kilku z przekazanych dotąd komunikatów wspominałam o dacie 15 czerwca 2016 r., będącej ustawowym terminem aktualizacji naszych przepisów i wydania Tymczasowych zasad ostatecznych.

Dear Friends,

I am very happy to report to you today that we have paid over $1 billion dollars to claimants since the VCF reopened in 2011. This includes all payments made to date – either partial or in full – on Group A claims. I am tremendously proud of the VCF team for reaching this milestone, and deeply touched by the calls and letters we have received from claimants expressing their appreciation for the VCF’s efforts.

Today, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF) issued updated program statistics. This report shows the progress we have made since the VCF was reauthorized in December 2015.

I am pleased to announce that as of the end of the day on February 29, the VCF has authorized full payments on over 1,000 Group A claims at a total authorized value of more than $233.4 million.

Dear Friends,

On January 20, 2016, one month after the reauthorization bill was signed into law, we posted information to our website that included Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) explaining updated policies and procedures, and our expected timeline for processing Group A payments and reviewing Group B claims.

Estimados amigos:

El 20 de enero de 2016, un mes después de que la propuesta de reautorización fuera aprobada como ley, publicamos información en nuestro sitio web que incluía las Preguntas Frecuentes (Frequently Asked Questions, FAQ) que explicaban las políticas y procedimientos actualizados y nuestro lapso estimado para procesar los pagos del Grupo A y renovar los reclamos del Grupo B.   

Szanowni Państwo,  

20 stycznia 2016 r., w miesiąc po podpisaniu reaktywacji Ustawy, zamieściliśmy na naszej stronie internetowej informacje zawierające najczęściej zadawanie pytania („FAQ”), które wyjaśniają zaktualizowane zasady i procedury oraz harmonogram wypłacania wniosków z grupy A oraz rozpatrywania wniosków z grupy B.   

亲爱的朋友们： 
 
2016 年 1 月 20 日，即再授权法案签署成为法律后一个月，我们在网站上发布了信息，其中包 括解释最新政策和程序的常见问题解答 (FAQ)，以及处理 A 组付款和审查 B 组索赔的预期时间 表。   

我们的计划需要对人员和资源进行重大重新分配，因此我们的团队长时间努力工作以进行实施。 在此，我很高兴地向大家介绍到目前为止我们取得的最新进展，并借此机会，说明我们的原计划 需要进行的一些变动。

A 组赔款 

Our Annual Report released today reflects a year of significant progress for the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund ("VCF"). Through the dedication and hard work of our team, our ongoing work with claimants and counsel, and our continuing collaboration with other third parties, we were able to continue our focus on efficiently and accurately processing claims and render an increasing number of award determinations.