I've been very proactive in that area. In fact the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act that was recently passed was part of the omnibus bill. I agree, victims don't want to go after a federal tax purse per se. How good would it be to actually be able to litigate in civil court and get the money from the perpetrators who were the cause of it? You have to look at the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act to see what that's all about.
There are many ways, especially in this economy, to mirror what the United States did, for example. Immediately after the attack there was a tax benefit to victims. They were forgiven their taxes. In Canada, in the response that I got.... Immediately I was told that for 2001, the year in which my husband was killed, and the year 2000 my taxes would be forgiven, as they were in the United States.
Not only were they not forgiven—there was not equality with the victims in the United States, the Canadians residing in the United States—but our government at the time came after me for taxes not paid. He paid quarterly taxes based on his salary, the amount that he was making, and he was quite a successful man.
You know, there are different areas in which you can help victims of terrorism. You can only imagine how hard it is for us to see our taxes being used for the penal system, for incarcerating the individuals, but no tax benefit for the victims.