Gephardt urges compensation for anthrax victims

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt said Friday that families of the four people who died recently of inhalation anthrax should be eligible for compensation from a government victims' fund already established for the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

"These Americans are victims of terrorists," Gephardt said. "They lost their lives -- some in the line of duty, others at work -- in an attack that sought to kill citizens indiscriminately. These families have been victims of bioterrorism and should not have to subject themselves to a never ending legal process."

Gephardt was flanked by three congressmen who represent districts where anthrax victims lived -- U.S. Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Maryland; U.S. Rep. Bob Wexler, D-Florida; and U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano, D-New York.

"Now these four individuals are dead, not because they were bad, not because they were malicious in their ways. They have been taken from their families and friends because some faceless coward has tried to terrorize us with the unknown," Serrano said. "Victims' families should know also that their government is here to help them."

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Gephardt said he was not suggesting that the same enemy caused the events of September 11 and the recent anthrax attacks but that the victims' families share common needs.

"I have my own suspicions, but I can't prove it," the minority leader said. "I think all of this goes back somehow to terrorists."

Gephardt said the government somehow failed to protect American citizens. "The plain fact of the matter is we failed in our responsibility to keep these people safe, and I feel absolutely convinced that we have to take action as we did in the September 11 liability fund to try to make these families whole."

The airline bailout legislation that President Bush signed into law contained a provision establishing a special new fund, meant to make it faster and easier for families of the victims of the terrorist attacks to receive compensation.

New legislation offered by Gephardt would make victims of "anthrax terrorism" eligible for the fund as well.

A special master appointed by the attorney general will manage the money in the government fund. The special master would look at each individual's situation and decide within four months how much money to award. A check would be sent within 20 days. In exchange, families would have to agree not to file lawsuits.

Much of the money in that fund likely would come from airlines that agree to settle upfront with the special master to avoid costly lawsuit settlements.

Gephardt suggested if anthrax victims were included, the pool of money also might include settlements with the U.S. Postal Service.

"I will reach out to the speaker of the House and ask him to help us move and pass this legislation as quickly as possible," Gephardt said. "It is one of our top priorities in the days that are left in this session of Congress."

A spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert said he would support the idea.