[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 137 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 137

Expressing the sense of Congress with regard to the recommendations of 
             the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 18, 1999

   Mr. Roemer (for himself, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. LaFalce) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of Congress with regard to the recommendations of 
             the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.

Whereas the National Gambling Impact Study Commission was established on August 
        3, 1996, under Public Law 104-169;
Whereas the Commission was charged with the responsibility of conducting a 
        comprehensive legal and factual study of the social and economic impacts 
        of legalized gambling in the United States, including the impacts on 
        communities, social institutions, and individuals, as well as the role 
        of government;
Whereas the Commission officially began its two-year study on June 18, 1997, and 
        released its report and findings on June 18, 1999;
Whereas the Commission found that 5.4 million adult Americans are pathological 
        or problem gamblers and 15.4 million more adult Americans are considered 
        at-risk gamblers with a high potential for becoming problem gamblers, 
        and further reported that 7.9 million adolescent Americans are 
        pathological or problem gamblers;
Whereas the Commission found that gambling disproportionately impacts the most 
        vulnerable Americans--the working poor, the elderly population, and our 
        Nation's youth;
Whereas the Commission found that the cost of gambling is conservatively 
        estimated at $6 billion per year, without factoring in the immeasurable, 
        but most devastating, social costs associated with gambling, such as 
        child abuse, suicide, and other destructive impacts of gambling on 
        individuals and families;
Whereas the Commission determined that unregulated growth of the gambling 
        industry is seen as a dangerous course of action;
Whereas the Commission determined that the more Americans are presented with 
        opportunities to gamble, the more concern there is about problem and 
        pathological gambling, and that the social, legal, and financial 
        consequences of pathological gambling addiction are severe;
Whereas the Commission determined that technology is revolutionizing the 
        gambling industry, and that Internet gambling in particular poses 
        serious legal, economic, and social concerns which the Nation is not 
        prepared to deal with;
Whereas the Commission determined that many policymakers have been forced to 
        make decisions about expanding gambling with virtually no credible 
        studies to rely on and, at best, only an assessment of the perceived 
        social impacts;
Whereas the Commission recommended that Congress adopt a general research 
        strategy to build a knowledge of gambling behavior and its consequences 
        on individuals and communities, which would add ``gambling components'' 
        to existing data sets being collected by Federal agencies and national 
        institutes on related areas;
Whereas the Commission recommended that Congress authorize the National Science 
        Foundation to establish a multidisciplinary research program on the 
        social and economic impacts of legal gambling in the United States, 
        including the benefits associated with legalized gambling as well as its 
        costs;
Whereas the Commission recommended that governors and State legislatures:
            (1) authorize and fund every four years an objective study of the 
        prevalence of problem and pathological gamblers among their State's 
        residents;
            (2) fund research, public awareness education, prevention and 
        treatment programs for those who are, or are likely to become problem or 
        pathological gamblers among their resident population; and
            (3) as a condition of the granting of a license to operate a 
        gambling facility, or to sell goods or services to a gambling facility, 
        provide full cooperation in any research undertaken by the State needed 
        to fulfill the legislative intent of Federal and State statutory policy;
Whereas the Commission recommended that States with lotteries publicly develop 
        and review model regulations for their lotteries;
Whereas the Commission recommended the funding of educational and prevention 
        programs to help the public recognize that almost all sports gambling is 
        illegal and can have serious consequences;
Whereas the Commission recommended the adoption of enforceable advertising 
        guidelines for the gambling industry, particularly as they relate to 
        youths and low-income neighborhoods;
Whereas the Commission recommended the development of a strategy to prohibit 
        Internet gambling within the United States;
Whereas the Commission recommended that Congress direct the National Institute 
        of Justice to research the effects of gambling on property and crime; 
        and
Whereas the members of the Commission unanimously recommend a ``pause'' in the 
        growth of gambling, to give governments further time to research and 
        assess the impact of gambling: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress encourages Federal, State, local, and tribal governments 
to review the findings of the National Gambling Impact Study 
Commission, and to consider the implementation of its recommendations 
as an appropriate response to the many concerns brought about by the 
rapid acceleration of gambling in our society.
                                 <all>