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To thousands of Americans, Kenneth R. Feinberg may be the most important man in the country right now but he also has the hardest job in the country. Feinberg was named the special master of the Sept. 11 Victims Compensation Fund Nov. 26. It is Feinberg who will decide who receives money from that fund and how much they get.

Although Feinberg’s title puts him in charge of money connected to the terrorist attacks, he may also have to consider compensation for Anthrax victims and their families.

On Capitol Hill, politicians are still fielding a House Democratic proposal that would include Anthrax victims and their families in the Sept. 11 compensation fund.

This move would help businesses handle the financial liabilities of dealing with Anthrax threats and illnesses. As the vehicle for the Anthrax attacks, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is the one business taking the biggest financial hit. Employees of the USPS are generally covered by workers’ compensation for Anthrax testing and treatment but the monetary burden is coupled with an ethical one. Postal officials must carefully weigh each situation when deciding who should be tested and who should not, lest it open itself up to more liability.

As of Oct. 29, the USPS reported that 8,800 employees had undergone Anthrax testing and 13,300 were on antibiotics. The cost of testing and treating these employees, as well as updating education and safety procedures throughout the Service, is estimated at more than $3 billion.

As a veteran attorney specializing in mediation, Feinberg is considered the best man for the special master job. He will not be paid for this position even though it holds serious political, personal and moral pitfalls. For example, Feinberg might have to decide how much a life is worth depending on that person’s job description, or whether partners of gay victims will receive death benefits.

Feinberg told the Los Angeles Times, “The problem that we confront is very, very complex. I have wide discretion…to [make] the tough decisions, which I am prepared to make.”

The Sept. 11 Victims Compensation Fund, signed into law by President Bush on Sept. 24, is expected to pay benefits to more than 11,000 families—the total bill is expected to be in the billions. Victims have until Sept. 11, 2003 to submit claims and Feinberg has four months to complete each claim. He will begin processing claims on Christmas Eve.