September 28, 1998

Dear Members of the Task Force on Assistance to Families of Aviation Disasters:

Last October, our Task Force issued 61 recommendations to ensure that the families of the victims of aviation disasters receive prompt and compassionate assistance. Today, the aviation community is hard at work implementing many of our recommendations. We are pleased to issue this "anniversary report," detailing the status of this important work.

In February 1997, the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security, chaired by Vice President Gore, issued recommendations on how we can improve family assistance. Our Task Force built on those recommendations.

There is no greater compliment to the work of the Task Force than the fact that a bi- partisan effort led the United States House of Representatives to pass legislation acting on our recommendations. This includes a requirement that air carriers provide adequate training to their employees and agents to meet the needs of survivors and family members, and an extension of the attorney solicitation ban from 30 to 45 days.

The dedication of the airlines and their representatives to implementing the recommendations deserves special recognition. Without their work on the Task Force, and their support for what we set out to do, our work would not have been a success.

We are also proud of the work of our agencies in this effort. The NTSB, which President Clinton named as the coordinator of federal assistance in this area, works with the airlines, the American Red Cross, and state and local governments to put in place an effective coordinated response. The Department and NTSB ensure that U.S. and foreign air carriers have family assistance plans, and, starting October 1, the Department requires that airlines have enhanced passenger manifests on flights to and from the United States.

The work of the Task Force, the Clinton Administration, the Congress, and the airlines has provided a more compassionate response to the victims of aviation disasters. The implementation of the recommendations shows that, in the words of fellow Task Force member Kendra St. Charles "working together, we can make things better."

Sincerely,

Introduction || Implementation of Task Force Recommendations

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