2-Year Countdown to the VCF Closing Deadline

UPDATE: THE VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND (VCF) WAS REAUTHORIZED BY CONGRESS IN JULY 2019 FOR FUNDING OF MORE THAN $10 BILLION

Today marks the 2 year deadline from when the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund will end. We have been humbled to represent the 9/11 community and it will continue to be our honor to represent you in the future. While most people see the upcoming deadline of December 18, 2020 as the end of the road, we see it as an opportunity to continue making people whole again.

We all have an obligation to spread the word to responders, neighbors, friends, coworkers, students, and teachers who might not know about the benefits of the World Trade Center Health Program and the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF).

68 cancers and a host of respiratory illnesses have been linked to the World Trade Center toxins. To date, the VCF has awarded over $4 billion to 25,000 people. Because the number of people with serious illnesses and deaths has dramatically increased, much more than science had expected, it was recently announced that the $7.3 billion originally set aside by Congress will likely be insufficient.

We implore everyone to submit their VCF claim before February 1st, 2019 when the awards may be significantly lowered. If you’ve already submitted your claim in full, this will not affect you.

We will be going back to Washington, D.C. every month until Congress does the right thing and extends the VCF. My firm will continue to serve the 9/11 community and we will fight to ensure that this fund remains open well past 2020.

We know the struggles that so many of you are going through. We wish you the best of health and Happy Holidays.

With deepest respect,
Mike Barasch