Osama bin Laden's $50-million bounty should go to Sept. 11 victims, lawmakers say

Osama bin Laden was killed through means that don't make anyone eligible to receive a reward, the White House said Monday. So what should be done with the millions that were earmarked for the Bin Laden bounty? Give it to the 9/11 victims and their families, two New York congressmen suggest.

"If the bounty isn't paid, Osama bin Laden's victims should get it," Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) said Sunday alongside Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) at a news conference Sunday at the World Trade Center site in Manhattan.

"Families and groups who helped deal with survivors of 9/11 should benefit," Weiner said while introducing a bill that would give away up to $50 million that was originally earmarked to serve as the bounty for the terrorist leader. 

Monday, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that no one took the necessary steps to make themselves eligible for the sum.

"As far as I’m aware, no one knowledgeably said, oh, Osama bin Laden’s over here in Abbottabad at 5703 Green Avenue,” Carney said. “My sense is that the requirement for any kind of reward is to say that -- not to accidentally, through intelligence gathering, provide information that leads to the whereabouts of somebody like that.”

The Rewards for Justice program set up a reward of $25 million in 2001 to help encourage civilians to rat out Bin Laden. In 2004, Congress passed a bill that allowed the secretary of State to sweeten the bounty to $50 million.

With Bin Laden swimming with the fishes, Ayman Zawahiri currently has the largest bounty on his head at $25 million.

ALSO:

$25-million bounty on Bin Laden is still being advertised by the FBI

Rush Limbaugh on Osama bin Laden's death: 'Thank God for Obama'

Geronimo: A century after his death, mysteriously tied to Bin Laden, the CIA and Skull and Bones

-- Tony Pierce
twitter.com/busblog

Photo: The World Trade Center south tower (L) bursts into flames after being struck by hijacked United Airlines Flight 175, as the north tower burns following an earlier attack, in New York City in this September 11, 2001 file photo. Credit:  REUTERS/Sean Adair/Files

Comments

[Give me a break]

What idiocy, this is just a cheap money grab by these New York Reps based on some pretty thin logic. If they want to give 9-11 survivors money that is one topic but it has nothing to do with the bounty. A bounty is offered as incentive to the public (find bin-Laden) and the required deed was never done. We don't give bounties to law enforcement or the military, that is their job. That doesn't mean it is now there to give away, the taxpayers get to keep it.

[Tom Herrick]

I understand that the helicopter lost during the raid cost $60M. Perhaps, in our government's financially difficult times, the money could best be used to buy a new one.

[David Moreno]

I agree with the previous posts. I couln't have said it better myself. So I wont try.

[Jerry Petruk]

Goes to show that our representatives still don't understand that they have spent us into serious fiscal trouble. Reduce government spending - Balance the budget - No more free rides.

[prat]

We are futheup with the lies the U.S.A is telling about the death of Osama bin Laden.How many times do they want to announce the death of Osama- the freedom fighter? If the U.S wants to hold the power for long they must stop the opression against Muslems and Islam. why do they always attak Islamic Nations? Remember the Roman empiar which was the greatest fell in the hands of muslems because they used to opress Islam and muslems and giving the wrong picture of Islam to the world as the U.S is doing today. Remember the Rusian empiar fell in the hands of Osama bin Laden for they used to block the propagation of Islam and Sharia.

[Connie Watson]

I think the 911 victims have received enough. What about the victims of the Oklahoma bombing? We never hear about them.

[mike]

Should go towards that stelth blackhawk that was lost during the raid.

[mike]

oops.. wasnt the first to come to this conclusion. well put Tom Herrick

[Kim]

I agree, give it to the team of experts that did the job and got rid of Bin Laden!!! They deserve it, they were tracking him for months, they risked their lives, let them have the money for a JOB WELL DONE!!! Thank you to the team of people that went in and got him!!!! It was a proud day for America!!!

[mischelle]

If no one is eligible to receive the reward, then give it to the veterans fund for medical. And a special memorial at Arlington national cemetary for all service men that parished because of Bin Laden

[Ronald E. Freman]

Being somewhat familiar with the Muslin culture I find it very possible that gree and corruption played a big role in the Parkinistani problem. We as Americans pump billions of our money there and if we do not tow the line they rbel. Whatever happened to the good old American way? Don't think they should complain to loudly and know the ruling party is responsible for the lack of credit we deserve.

[camstill]

Didn't they already give money to the victims of 9-11? If there is that amount of money set aside put it towards the deficit. Quit giving money away we don't really have. And quit giving money to countries that are not are allies in any way, shape or form.

[jth4523`]

Wow....I know someone who was paid 4 million for the loss of his wife in the 9/11 attacks. I realize that no amount of money can replace a loved one, it is almost crazy to pour more money in to the same cause. Use it for anti-terrorism, boost in economic growth in some part of the country that really needs it, anything...

[Concerned]

Wait, instead of anyone turning Bin Ladin in (The reason for the reward), the US spent money on intelligence and paychecks to people working this "case' and the writer thinks that the US should then give the reward money away because it is "unclaimed". Pretty thin login is putting things mildly. This writer and his views on huge coffers filled with tones of American Money waiting to be spent on foreign aid, litigious actions and "earmarked" for this or that is exactly why we see the United Stated States in it's current financial situation.

[Voice of Reason]

I see many comments on "If the money is not claimed" and in the article the writer states "earmarked". Does anyone making these remarks actually understand that this is "our" US tax dollars funding this reward. The reward is not unclaimed people. The United Stated offered the reward to finding Bin Laden. The United States found and carried out the plan to get Bin Laden. I truly believe that the United States and intelligence community that we pay paychecks to everyday should be the beneficiary of this money. Wait, just in case anyone is questioning me... I am saying that the US needs to put that back into our budget (I mean keep the money people). We already paid the reward to our own "employees" and the money was obviously well spent. I understand the victims hurt, but do not in any way think that the money is "free" and should just be given away "anyway". I wish that I could bring back their loved ones, but money will not do this. Please stop giving my tax dollars away and start acting responsible to the people who have worked their whole lives to prove tax dollars to "earmarked" giveaways. No more free money people. I have not asked what my country can "give" to me, but have given and given and given to a government that is continually besieged by people like the writer who wants to push us... yes the US (us) into deeper debt with "free earmarked" tax dollars.

[Get Real]

Give it to the unemployed and the hungry.

They are ones still waiting for Help.
911 has hurt more people then those in the towers, also, the economy of the entire world.

Stop thinking so small.

[Zachary Carter]

No one is ever going to see that money besides the U.S. government.

[Philadeaus]

No. No no no. The bounty was just that. A bounty. It cannot be used for something else and the US cannot afford it in the first place. If anything, Bin Laudin's money and assets should be aquired and given to the victims of 9/11. That would be proper.

[Patricia Stengel]

don't do anything with the money. we are broke. 9/11 people should go away now, like pearl harbor people, and we should NOT have to spend anymore money on this nonsense. ENOUGH!

[Uriah]

So let me get this straight. Our Gov't promises a reward using money that we don't have, driving us further in to debt. And now that no one qualifies for the reward we need to decide what else to spend the money on?

[shane]

Use the money to help fund Bin Laden's take-down operation. With the huge budget deficit do we really need to give more money to the victims who already received generous financial compensation.
The bounty won't even cover the cost of the (Stealth) Blackhawk lost in the raid.

[akdaba]

If you don't give it to me. Give it to the Indians for taking Geronimo name in vain.

[Peggy]

Really? How much $$ do the "survivors" need? We have seen them all, whining on Fox days after this disaster, "look at me, a wife with children, no food". Should have been better prepared for loss of the bread-winner, eh?
A lot of people have died since 9/11/01, a lot of families suffered tragedies, murder victims, sudden death by natural causes...whatever. The survivors of 9/11 are not, by any means, a touchstone of humanity. A lot of people have suffered since then, haven't heard a peep out of a 9/11 group or "survivor/victim" acknowledging that matter of fact. It's real, it's painful, and on-going. Don't get the preferential treatment, perhaps the funds should be sent to those who need them, and ignored.

[Patricia Adam]

I have not given this much thought, but I believe this money should go towards the National Debt. Ten years searching for Bin Laden was a costly process, finally it is over. Award our country by giving the money back to us all to strengthen our economy.

[Fred Ruffner]

Concerning the Osama bin Laden's $50 million bounty: The money should be kept by the Government,and invest in counterterrorism. After reporting this incident, we are giving up too much information about how the and pictures of all involved to the world. If we have to do something like this in the future we are tipping our hands on the whole process concerning our methods of gathering intelligence information. I see why it took use so long to find him in the first place because of all the politices involved.

[wildbill6996]

I think the victim's of 9/11 have been taken care of already. How about the money for all the men and women who came home from Iraq and Afghanistan with broken bodies. And something more than what deceased military personnel receive. These people deserve better than what they receive......

[other mike]

I agree with those who say that we ought to give it to the folks whose hard work helped bring him down. I know they get a paycheck, but it was intended for that purpose, and they should get it. If they 'aren't elidgible', instead of being lame and saying 'they were just doing their jobs' let congress pass a law so that they ARE elidgible. They did a pretty darn good job, and no one will ever know who they were.

[stevi]

Why don't we spend it towards a REAL, properly done, and thorough crime investigation of 9/11, to be done by the citizens and not the government, since we never had one.

[Webslicer]

did those people do anything to deserve the money? hell no. screw them enough with the survivors guilt trip the victims families are trying to play off. Jesus I wish I could get someone to give me money for some evil crap that happened to me 10 years ago. Wouldnt we all love to be able to get a free pile of cash just because we had something bad happen to us. Screw that, try using the 50 million dollars for helping the homeless and jobless in the country.

[John]

Give more money to the victims? Haven't they received enough already? How about splitting the bounty with the SEALS, pilots, support and intelligence community who pulled this off on a government salary. It's got my vote.

[Deb Larson]

I feel the bounty should be put right into our economy, to help get us out of this, the whole us should benifit from it. We need some kind of help.

[CadronBoy]

More money for the victims? On top of the billions of dollars already doled out. Least we not all forget -- we are all victims of Osama's deeds. All of our lives are been altered forever -- inconvenience, higher prices, loss of assets, etc. -- yet only those seemingly on site of 911 get to stuff their pockets.

Enough entitlements and handouts! Give the money back to the people who paid it in -- or else keep in the the general funds to paydown our deficit. But no more handouts. Stop that crap!

[Babu]

I don't think an attempt of compensating with money the passed soles won't be fare !!!

[nan emouse]

Actually, the 9-11 families have had rather large compensation already. The extra money should be used at the military rehab centers for the true heroes of 9-11 and after.

[FugginSuggin_COM]

The alleged death of Osama Bin Laden is being used to justify this never ending "War on Terror," as well as the further reduction of the rights of American Citizens in the name of security. People are so eager to believe the story of his death and scoff at those who don't trust the fable. Check out the below link to understand why so many people don't believe the U.S. government's story of the death of Osama Bin Laden.

http://www.fugginsuggin.com/2011/05/why-many-people-dont-believe-osama.html

[paranthaman suppiah]

this money should be used to managed down the bin ladin operation,always be aware this idiot group, will do something for the world enemy to ATTACK US

[Osama Bin Hater]

I am so happy that he is dead!!! GO USA!!! USA USA USA

[Bryn]

The bounty should go to pay some of the National Debt; pay for some of the costs incurred to capture OBL.

[s hughes]

Although The OKC bombing was by domestic terror,the victims famlies got nothing except what was due them from insurance....I think if the money is going to be disbursed,these folks deserve some of it too...

[S. Kulawik]

The reward should go to the analysts and special forces that put in the extra effort and risk to finish this job.