[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6009 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6009

                      To address problem gambling.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 28, 2006

  Mr. Meehan introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                      To address problem gambling.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Comprehensive Awareness of Problem 
Gambling Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. PUBLIC AWARENESS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
carry out a national campaign to increase knowledge and raise awareness 
with respect to problem gambling issues within the general public, 
including supporting and augmenting existing national campaigns and the 
production and placement of public service announcements.
    (b) Voluntary Donations.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall--
            (1) administer and coordinate the voluntary donation of 
        resources to assist in the implementation of new programs and 
        the augmentation of existing national campaigns to provide 
        national strategies for dissemination of information intended 
        to address problem gambling from--
                    (A) the television, radio, motion picture, cable 
                communications, and print media;
                    (B) the advertising industry;
                    (C) the business sector of the United States; and
                    (D) professional sports organizations and 
                associations; and
            (2) encourage media outlets throughout the country to 
        provide information aimed at preventing problem gambling, 
        including public service announcements, documentary films, and 
        advertisements.
    (c) Focus.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall target radio and television audiences of 
sporting events and of gambling.
    (d) Evaluation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall evaluate and report to the President 
and to Congress on the effectiveness of activities under this section.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $200,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

SEC. 3. RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--The President shall establish and implement a 
national program of research on problem gambling.
    (b) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the President 
shall appoint an advisory commission, including individuals not 
currently employed by the Federal Government, to coordinate the 
activities of Federal agencies relating to research on problem 
gambling, including the activities of the National Institutes of 
Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Justice 
Institute, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration.
    (c) National Gambling Impact Study Commission Report.--In carrying 
out this section, the President shall consider the recommendations that 
appear in chapter 8 of the June 18, 1999, report of the National 
Gambling Impact Study Commission.
    (d) Treatment Improvement Protocol.--In carrying out this section, 
the President, acting through the Administrator of the Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration, shall develop a Treatment 
Improvement Protocol specific to problem gambling.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $4,000,000 for 
each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR TREATMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services may 
make grants to States, local governments, and non-profit agencies to 
provide comprehensive services with respect to treatment and prevention 
of problem gambling issues and education about problem gambling issues.
    (b) Application for Grant.--A grant may be made under subsection 
(a) only if an application for the grant is submitted to the Secretary 
and the application is in such form, is made in such manner, and 
contains such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary 
determines to be necessary to carry out this section.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 
for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that every State should contribute 
a percentage of its revenue from gambling towards prevention and 
treatment of problem gambling and towards research services and 
education about problem gambling.
                                 <all>