[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 65 (Thursday, May 6, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN SUPPORT OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL 
PROVIDING COMPENSATION TO THE FAMILIES OF THE RON BROWN PLANE CRASH IN 
                                CROATIA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 1999

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, after much soul searching, the families of 
the victims of the military plane carrying Commerce Secretary Ron Brown 
that crashed in Croatia on April 3, 1996, have allowed us to introduce 
this amendment. It would provide up to $2 million in compensation for 
each of the families of the tragic accident. This amendment is not what 
the families requested, nor is it what I sought when I first introduced 
the Ron Brown Tort Equality Act on April 15, 1997. Although this 
amendment would close the books on the accident, it would not render 
complete justice to the families; would do nothing to assure that there 
would not be similar victims of military aircraft in the future; and 
would have no deterrent effect to ward off serious negligence in the 
future. Yet surely this amendment is what is minimally required.
  The Ron Brown Tort Equality Act had nearly fifty cosponsors in the 
last Congress and we are on our way to that and more now. This is a 
notably bipartisan bill in no small part because the victims originated 
in 15 states and the District of Columbia. The Ron Brown Act would 
allow federal civilian employees or their families to sue the federal 
government but only for gross negligence by its officers or employees 
and only for compensatory damages. Because there will be few instances 
where gross negligence can be shown, this is a small change in our law. 
There also were non-federal employees on that fated plane for whom no 
compensation is possible today. Astonishingly, federal law does not 
allow compensation when private citizens are killed or injured 
overseas. Yet, private citizens can sue under the Act for the same 
injuries when they occur in this country. The Ron Brown Act would allow 
individuals who do not work for the federal government, or their 
families, to sue the United States for negligent or wrongful acts or 
omissions that occur in a foreign country.
  This tragic accident yielded great sorrow and mourning by the nation 
and members of this body. The mourning period is over, colleagues. It 
is time now to compensate the families.

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