| RICHMOND, VA
- December 7 - The National Organization for Women (NOW), along with its Virginia Chapter, today strongly denounced Virginia Gov. James Gilmore for refusing to pay survivor's benefits to a woman whose partner was killed in the September 11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
Peggy Neff asked Virginia's Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund for assistance after her partner of 18 years, Sheila Hein, was killed in the September 11 hijacking of American Airlines flight 77, which was deliberately slammed into the Pentagon building. Gilmore and other state officials say that benefits under the Virginia Victims of Crime Act cannot go to same-sex partners.
"It is outrageous that our Governor will not honor Sheila Hein and her family by offering the same financial assistance given to the immediate family of every other victim of the attack on the Pentagon," said Connie Hannah, president of Virginia NOW. "New York's Republican Gov. George Pataki signed an executive order that gave death benefits to the partners of lesbian and gay victims of the September 11 attacks; Virginia should do no less."
"NOW calls on Gov. Gilmore to immediately release funds to help Sheila Hein," said National NOW President Kim Gandy. "Hein lost her life partner of 18 years in the tragedy of September 11 and she has suffered enough. Gov. Gilmore's callous attitude is a disservice to all families who lost loved ones that day."
In addition to Virginia's victim fund, the federal government has also established the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund to provide assistance. The U.S. Justice Department has not yet released a final draft of eligibility rules. The rules are expected to be released on December 22 and it is not clear whether the federal guidelines will include the partners of lesbian and gay victims.
"We call on Attorney General John Ashcroft to include partners of lesbians and gays in the federal September 11 Victim Compensation Fund," said Gandy. "Recognizing the anguish and loss of all the families, including the victims lesbian and gay partners, is the right thing to do."
"NOW favors domestic partner benefits and is seeking to repeal Virginia's current sodomy laws," concluded Hannah. "Virginia NOW reconfirms its commitment to work for equal rights for all Virginians."
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