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NY Gov. Wants 9/11 Same-Sex Survivors Guaranteed Benefits
January 25, 2002
gfn.com edit department

New York Gov. George Pataki and state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer have filed a written objection to portions of the government's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund that they say leaves surviving same-sex partners vulnerable to inadequate compensation.

Pataki, a Republican, and Spitzer, a Democrat, sent a joint letter outlining their complaints to the fund administrator before the public comment period closed Tuesday; they released the letter Wednesday.

Pataki and Spitzer said the interim regulations "unfairly exclude many victims from participating in the fund, provide inadequate compensation to other victims, and contain numerous other important flaws."

Pataki and Spitzer are seeking a change to a requirement that injured victims must have sought medical care within 24 hours of the attack to qualify for compensation. They also are seeking guarantees that gay partners will be eligible for benefits under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

The fund's special master, Kenneth Feinberg, is reviewing public comments on his interim rules and is expected to issue final regulations early next month.

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