II 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2315 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES February 16, 2006 Mr. Burns introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a federally-supported education and awareness campaign for the prevention of methamphetamine use.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Methamphetamine Awareness and Prevention Act of 2006.

2.

Findings and purpose

(a)

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)Methamphetamine addiction is a growing epidemic in the United States. (2)Existing programs within the Federal Government do not specifically target methamphetamine use in an effective manner, considering the widespread use of the drug. (3)The existing drug policy of the Federal Government focuses on the impact of marijuana as a gateway drug rather than methamphetamine. (4)Methamphetamine use impacts a variety of Federal and State services, from child welfare to addiction, treatment, and housing costing taxpayers millions of dollars every year. (5)The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found in 2004 that 1,400,000 persons ages 12 and older used methamphetamine in the past year. (6)Precursor chemicals for the production of methamphetamine vary widely and are easily accessible across the United States. (b)

Purpose

It is the purpose of this Act to prevent the spread of methamphetamine through the establishment of a competitive grant program to identify successful methamphetamine education and awareness campaigns.

3.

Amendment to the Public Health Service Act

Part A of title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

506C.

Methamphetamine awareness and prevention

(a)

Office

(1)

In general

There is established within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration an office to be known as the Methamphetamine Awareness and Prevention Office. The Office shall be headed by a director to be appointed by the Secretary. (2)

Duties

In addition to other activities determined appropriate by the Secretary to reduce the use of methamphetamines, the director of the Office shall administer the grant program established under subsection (b). (b)

Grant program

(1)

In general

The director of the Office shall establish a program to award competitive grants to eligible entities for the establishment and implementation of successful methamphetamine education and awareness campaigns to reduce the spread of methamphetamine use. (2)

Eligibility

To be eligible for a grant under this subsection an entity shall— (A)be a State or local government or a private nonprofit organization; (B)submit to the director of the Office an application in accordance with paragraph (3)(C); and (C)provide assurances that the entity will contribute non-Federal funds towards the costs of carrying out activities under the grant in an amount equal to 100 percent of the amount received under the grant. (3)

Applications

(A)

Process

Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the director of the Office shall solicit applications for grants under this subsection. The director of the Office shall notify an applicant in writing of the reasons why an applicant has failed to be awarded such a grant. (B)

Evaluation of applications

In determining whether to award a grant to an applicant under this subsection, the director of the Office shall— (i)evaluate the scope of the education and awareness campaign to be conducted under the grant to ensure that the target audience is reached; (ii)consider the duration of the education and awareness campaign involved and the expected positive impact at the State or local level; (iii)consider the ability of the applicant to tailor the message to at-risk populations; (iv)require a reduced match of 50 percent with respect to applications from rural or underserved areas, such as Indian reservations, with little access to outside capital, and any other areas deemed eligible by the director of the Office; and (v)consider the benefit of the applicant’s program based on the criteria described in clauses (i) through (iv). (C)

Contents

An application submitted under paragraph (2)(B) shall contain— (i)a description of the methamphetamine education and awareness campaign to be funded under the grant and how such campaign will significantly curb methamphetamine use, especially among those vulnerable to using methamphetamine for the first time; (ii)a description of the significance of the methamphetamine problem in the area targeted by the applicant’s campaign, which may include the use of statistics provided through the annual research of the Administration as well as any statistics collected by the Department of Justice, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, or any other State or local law enforcement agency determined useful by the Office to accurately identify the scope of the methamphetamine problem; (iii)a description of the size and characteristics of the target audience (including a focus on pre-teen and teenage populations and populations that are historically vulnerable to first-time use) and the most effective means to reach such audience as determined through the conduct of a thorough review by the applicant prior to the submission of the application; (iv)a detailed budget or spending plan for use of grant funds; (v)evidence to demonstrate positive outcomes of the campaign; and (vi)any other information determined appropriate by the director of the Office. (4)

Limitation

An entity may receive not more than one grant in each fiscal year under this subsection. Each such grant shall not exceed $5,000,000. (5)

Submission of impact reports

Not later than 90 days after the exhaustion of each grant period, the grant recipient shall submit to the director of the Office a report on the impact of the education and awareness campaign carried out under the grant. Each such report shall include quantitative data to demonstrate, with respect to the campaign, the size of the audience reached, the impact of the campaign, and the reaction to the campaign from the State or local area involved. The director of the Office shall use such impact reports in any subsequent determinations with respect to grant awards. (c)

Report to Congress

Not later than 90 days after the end of the first and each subsequent grant cycle under this section, the director of the Office shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that contains a summary of grant awards under subsection (b) and the impact of such grants on communities throughout the United States. Information contained in the report may be shared among all interested Federal and State entities for use to coordinate effective methamphetamine prevention activities. (d)

Definitions

In this section: (1)

Education and awareness campaign

The term education and awareness campaign means a coordinated effort to reduce methamphetamine use through the use of any media, print, radio, television, Internet-based or any other mode of communication to convey messages to an audience. (2)

Grant cycle

The term grant cycle means the length of time from the date on which a grant is awarded under this section until the date on which such grant is expended. (3)

Office

The term Office means the Methamphetamine Awareness and Prevention Office. (e)

Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $25,250,000 for fiscal year 2006. Of the amount appropriated for such fiscal year, $250,000 shall be made available for the activities of the Office, and $25,000,000 shall be made available for grants under subsection (b).

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