II 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1436 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 20, 2005 Mr. DeWine introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To award grants to eligible entities to enable the entities to reduce the rate of underage alcohol use and binge drinking among students at institutions of higher education.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Campus-Based Underage Alcohol Use Reduction Act.

2.

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)Drinking alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal in each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia. Enforcement of current laws and regulations in States and communities, such as minimum age drinking laws, zero tolerance laws, and laws and regulations which restrict availability of alcohol, must supplement other efforts to reduce underage drinking. (2)Data collected by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Transportation indicate that alcohol use by youth has many negative consequences, such as immediate risk from acute impairment; traffic fatalities; violence; suicide; and unprotected sex. (3)A significant percentage of the total alcohol consumption in the United States each year is by underage youth. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that the percentage is over 11 percent. (4)College and university presidents have cited alcohol abuse as the number one health problem on college and university campuses. (5)According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, two of five college students are binge drinkers; 1,400 college students die each year from alcohol-related injuries, a majority of which involve motor vehicle crashes; more than 70,000 students are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault; and 500,000 students are injured under the influence of alcohol each year. (6)Research shows that school-based and community-based interventions can reduce underage drinking and associated problems, and that positive outcomes can be achieved by combining environmental and institutional change with theory-based health education—a comprehensive, community-based approach.

3.

Grants directed at reducing higher-education alcohol abuse

(a)

Authorization of program

The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to enable the entities to reduce the rate of underage alcohol use and binge drinking among students at institutions of higher education. (b)

Applications

An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require. Each application shall include— (1)a description of how the eligible entity will work to enhance an existing, or where none exists to build a, statewide coalition; (2)a description of how the eligible entity will target underage students in the State; (3)a description of how the eligible entity intends to ensure that the statewide coalition is actually implementing the purpose of this Act and moving toward indicators described in section (d); (4)a list of the members of the statewide coalition or interested parties involved in the work of the eligible entity; (5)a description of how the eligible entity intends to work with State agencies on substance abuse prevention and education; (6)the anticipated impact of funds provided under this Act in reducing the rates of underage alcohol use; (7)outreach strategies, including ways in which the eligible entity proposes to— (A)reach out to students; (B)promote the purpose of this Act; (C)address the range of needs of the students and the surrounding communities; and (D)address community norms for underage students regarding alcohol use; and (8)such additional information as required by the Secretary. (c)

Uses of funds

Each eligible entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to carry out the activities described in such entity’s application submitted pursuant to subsection (b). (d)

Accountability

On the date on which the Secretary first publishes a notice in the Federal Register soliciting applications for grants under this section, the Secretary shall include in the notice achievement indicators for the program authorized under this section. The achievement indicators shall be designed— (1)to measure the impact that the statewide coalitions assisted under this Act are having on the institutions of higher education and the surrounding communities, including changes in the number of alcohol incidents of any kind (including violations, physical assaults, sexual assaults, reports of intimidation, disruptions of school functions, disruptions of student studies, mental health referrals, illnesses, or deaths); (2)to measure the quality and accessibility of the programs or information offered by the statewide coalitions; and (3)to provide such other measures of program impact as the Secretary determines appropriate. (e)

Supplement not supplant

Grant funds provided under this Act shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, Federal and non-Federal funds available for carrying out the activities described in this section. (f)

Definitions

For purposes of this section: (1)

Eligible entity

The term eligible entity means a State, institution of higher education, or nonprofit entity. (2)

Institution of higher education

The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). (3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education. (4)

State

The term State means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (5)

Statewide coalition

The term statewide coalition means a coalition that— (A)includes— (i)institutions of higher education within a State; and (ii)a nonprofit group, a community underage drinking prevention coalition, or another substance abuse prevention group within a State; and (B)works toward lowering the alcohol abuse rate by targeting underage students at institutions of higher education throughout the State and in the surrounding communities. (6)

Surrounding community

The term surrounding community means the community— (A)that surrounds an institution of higher education participating in a statewide coalition; (B)where the students from the institution of higher education take part in the community; and (C)where students from the institution of higher education live in off-campus housing. (g)

Administrative expenses

Not more than 5 percent of a grant under this section may be expended for administrative expenses. (h)

Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2010.