September 11th Victim Compensation Fund

The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, commonly known as the VCF, was a U.S. government fund that was created by an Act of Congress shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001. The purpose of the fund was to compensate the victims of the attacks and their families with the quid pro quo of their agreement not to file lawsuits against the airline corporations involved, such as American Airlines and United Airlines. The VCF functions similar to the Social Security Administration, in that part of the annual U.S. federal budget is set aside for the specific purpose of paying out victims, although this process is heavily regulated. Medical treatments for several respiratory diseases, including asthma and sleep apnea, as well as for all forms of cancer, are covered by the VCF.