[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3418 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3418

  To amend the Public Health Service Act to specifically include, in 
      programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, programs to research, prevent, and address the harmful 
consequences of pathological and other problem gambling, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 25, 2010

  Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Casey, and Mr. Brown of 
Ohio) 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 specifically include, in 
      programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, programs to research, prevent, and address the harmful 
consequences of pathological and other problem gambling, and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 Problem Gambling Act 
of 2010''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Problem gambling is a public health disorder 
        characterized by increasing preoccupation with gambling, loss 
        of control, restlessness or irritability when attempting to 
        stop gambling, and continuation of the gambling behavior in 
        spite of mounting, serious, negative consequences.
            (2) Over 6,000,000 adults met criteria for a gambling 
        problem last year.
            (3) The estimated social cost to families and communities 
        from bankruptcy, divorce, job loss, and criminal justice costs 
        associated with problem gambling was $6,700,000,000 last year.
            (4) Problem gambling is associated with higher incidences 
        of bankruptcy, domestic abuse, and suicide.
            (5) People who engage in problem gambling have high rates 
        of co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders.
            (6) In response to current budget shortfalls, many States 
        are considering enacting or have enacted legislation to expand 
        legal gambling activities with the intent of raising State 
        revenues.
            (7) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
        Administration is the lead Federal agency for substance abuse 
        and mental health services.
            (8) There are no agencies or individuals in the Federal 
        Government with formal responsibility for problem gambling.

SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS GAMBLING IN SAMHSA 
              AUTHORITIES.

    Section 501(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
290aa(d)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (17);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (18) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(19) establish and implement programs for the 
        identification, prevention, and treatment of pathological and 
        other problem gambling.''.

SEC. 4. PROGRAMS TO RESEARCH, PREVENT, AND ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLING.

    Title V of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290aa et seq.) 
is amended--
            (1) by redesignating part G (42 U.S.C. 290kk et seq.), 
        relating to services provided through religious organizations 
        and added by section 144 of the Community Renewal Tax Relief 
        Act of 2000 (114 Stat. 2763A-619), as enacted into law by 
        section 1(a)(7) of Public Law 106-554, as part J;
            (2) by redesignating sections 581 through 584 of that part 
        J as sections 596 through 596C, respectively; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:

 ``PART K--PROGRAMS TO RESEARCH, PREVENT, AND ADDRESS PROBLEM GAMBLING

``SEC. 597. PUBLIC AWARENESS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator, 
shall carry out a national campaign to increase knowledge and raise 
awareness within the general public with respect to problem gambling 
issues. In carrying out the campaign, the Secretary shall carry out 
activities that include augmenting and supporting existing (as of the 
date of the support) national campaigns and producing and placing 
public service announcements.
    ``(b) Voluntary Donations.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary may--
            ``(1) coordinate the voluntary donation of, and administer, 
        resources to assist in the implementation of new programs and 
        the augmentation and support of existing national campaigns to 
        provide national strategies for dissemination of information, 
        intended to address problem gambling, from--
                    ``(A) television, radio, motion pictures, cable 
                communications, and the 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 shall 
target radio and television audiences of events including sporting and 
gambling events.
    ``(d) Evaluation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall evaluate the effectiveness of activities under this section. The 
Secretary shall submit a report to the President and Congress 
containing the results of the evaluation.
    ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $200,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.

``SEC. 597A. RESEARCH.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator, 
shall establish and implement a national program of research on problem 
gambling.
    ``(b) National Gambling Impact Study Commission Report.--In 
carrying out this section, the Secretary shall consider the 
recommendations that appear in chapter 8 of the June 18, 1999, report 
of the National Gambling Impact Study Commission.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $4,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.

``SEC. 597B. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT.

    ``(a) Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Administrator, shall make grants to States, local and tribal 
        governments, and nonprofit 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.--To be eligible to receive a 
        grant under this subsection, an entity shall submit an 
        application to the Secretary in such form, in such manner, and 
        containing such agreements, assurances, and information as the 
        Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out this 
        subsection.
    ``(b) Treatment Improvement Protocol.--The Secretary shall develop 
a treatment improvement protocol specific to problem gambling.
    ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 
for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015.''.
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