[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1170 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1170

                      To address problem gambling.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 16, 2007

  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 2007''.

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 2008 through 2012.

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) 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 2008 through 2012.

SEC. 4. TREATMENT.

    (a) Grants.--
            (1) 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.
            (2) Application for grant.--A grant may be made under 
        paragraph (1) 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 subsection.
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of 
        carrying out this subsection, there is authorized to be 
        appropriated $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 
        through 2012.
    (b) Treatment Improvement Protocol.--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.

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.
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