STATEMENT FROM FORMER U.S. SENATE MAJORITY LEADER AND INDEPENDENT OVERSEER OF THE LIBERTY DISASTER RELIEF FUND GEORGE MITCHELL JANUARY 31, 2002 In December, I was asked by the American Red Cross to serve as the Independent Overseer of the Liberty Disaster Relief Fund. I accepted on condition that I would have full access to all relevant information and complete independence. The Red Cross promised both and has kept that promise. The conclusions I reached and the comments I will now make are mine alone. To help me better understand their needs I met with dozens of the victims of the terror of September 11th: families who lost loved ones, people who lost their health, some who lost their homes, their jobs, their livelihoods. I met with several victims groups, Red Cross donors, officials of the Red Cross and of other charities, and with government officials, to discuss the immediate and long-term needs of victims, to understand the intent of donors, and to coordinate efforts among charities and government programs to meet those needs. I received and read over a hundred comments from members of the public through an e-mail address which was established for this purpose. The magnitude of this tragedy is without precedent in our history. More than 3,000 people were killed or seriously injured; more than 54,000 others were directly affected. So many people suffered so much and their circumstances are so different that no plan can meet all of their needs. No matter what the Red Cross does, it is inevitable and understandable that not everyone will be fully satisfied. Therefore, the objective of this or any other plan must be to distribute the available funds in a way that is most fair and best meets the needs of those who suffered loss. This plan does that. It is guided by four objectives: to meet the needs of those who suffered losses; to honor the intent of the donors; to provide assistance in a manner consistent with the mission and traditions of the Red Cross; and all the money donated to the Liberty Fund will go to those who suffered loss on September 11th. Many different views were expressed to me, but there were a few common themes. Foremost among them was the request from victims and their family that the remainder of the Liberty Fund be distributed promptly and fairly. There was a strong sentiment that the victims themselves are in the best position to assess their own needs and to choose how best to use the funds in meeting those needs. Also clear to me is the importance of respecting the dignity of those who have already suffered so much. Money is central to meeting their needs. So is respect for their loss and for their grief. It is true that people die everyday. But not in this way and not in these numbers. This was a tragedy unique in our history, not least in the scope and horror of the loss. The Plan announced today responds to these needs. I commend the Red Cross for respecting the concerns of the victims. Under the Plan, the Red Cross will distribute $180 million in additional assistance to the families of the deceased or missing and to persons seriously injured. That will bring the total of such assistance to an average of $109,000 for each family. Some of the comments I received were critical of some aspects of the Red Cross response but the vast majority of those affected were grateful for the assistance and for the good intentions, especially of the volunteers. To its credit, the Red Cross acknowledged its mistakes and changed some of its policies that were mistaken. Regrettably, the focus on those mistakes has obscured the tremendous amount of good work that was done by the Red Cross to provide care and comfort to those in need. Thousands of volunteers from across the nation mobilized to provide food, shelter, clothing, child care, counseling, financial assistance, health care, and other services to victims, rescue workers, and many others. I thank and commend the volunteers for their warm generosity and for their dedication to those in need, at a time of indescribable pain and grief. Volunteers are the strength of the Red Cross and the reason why the organization can mobilize with unmatched speed and scale. A consequence of a predominantly volunteer organization, however, is that inevitably there is some duplication and confusion, particularly when relief efforts extend over several months. The sheer size of this disaster magnified these problems and led to some complaints and public criticism. But, again to its credit, the Red Cross has listened and responded, as evidence by this plan, which is directly responsive to the present and anticipated needs of victims. In the coming months it will be of crucial importance that services and assistance be coordinated among charities and government agencies. At the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania, the Red Cross was among the first to respond. In the weeks that followed, many charitable organizations were formed or became involved in providing relief. It has been difficult to coordinate these efforts in a manner that is efficient for victims and that minimizes duplication. The Red Cross was one of 13 founding charities of the 9/11 United Services Group in New York and has played a leading role in coordinating the delivery of services and financial aid to victims. It is imperative that the Red Cross and other charities continue their efforts to improve coordination in delivering assistance to those in need. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of millions of donors, the Liberty Fund is expected to grow to more than $850 million. That is a lot of money. But distributed among so many thousands of other affected individuals, it cannot even begin to meet the long-term needs of every individual or family. In fact, no amount of money can ever bring back what they lost on September 11th. So the plan announced today is and must be understood as an effort to help them bridge the gap between the immediate crisis and over time the more full meeting of their needs, including the need to heal. In a real sense this is emergency disaster relief. I believe this plan fairly responds to the needs of victims, complies with the intentions of Red Cross donors, and is consistent with the Red Cross mission of providing emergency disaster relief. At the request of the Red Cross I will continue to serve as Independent Overseer for at least one more year. To ensure implementation of this plan is fully transparent and accountable, I will make a public report every three months. © Copyright 2001 The American National Red Cross. All Rights Reserved.        CONTACT US  |  SITE DIRECTORY  |  PRIVACY POLICY