[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2841 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2841

To require policies and programs to research, prevent, and address the 
 harmful consequences of gambling disorder among members of the Armed 
          Forces and their dependents, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 15, 2018

Ms. Warren (for herself and Mr. Daines) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require policies and programs to research, prevent, and address the 
 harmful consequences of gambling disorder among members of the Armed 
          Forces and their dependents, 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 ``Gambling Addiction Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Gambling disorder is a public health concern 
        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) According to the National Council on Problem Gambling, 
        it is estimated that as many as 56,000 active duty members of 
        the Armed Forces meet criteria for gambling disorder.
            (3) However, according to the Department of Defense, only 
        about 120 military personnel were diagnosed with gambling 
        disorder or were seen for problem gambling each year between 
        fiscal year 2011 and fiscal year 2015.
            (4) According to a 2017 report by the Government 
        Accountability Office--
                    (A) the Department of Defense operates more than 
                3,100 slot machines at military installations overseas 
                that are available to members of the Armed Forces and 
                their families;
                    (B) those slot machines generate approximately 
                $100,000,000 in revenue for the Department, which is 
                used for further recreational activities for members of 
                the Armed Forces; and
                    (C) the Department and the Coast Guard do not 
                systematically screen for gambling disorder.

SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF GAMBLING DISORDER IN HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR 
              MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND RELATED RESEARCH EFFORTS.

    (a) Annual Periodic Health Assessment.--The Secretary of Defense 
shall incorporate medical screening questions specific to gambling 
disorder into the Annual Periodic Health Assessment conducted by the 
Department of Defense for members of the Armed Forces.
    (b) Research Efforts.--The Secretary shall incorporate into ongoing 
research efforts of the Department questions on gambling disorder, as 
appropriate, including by restoring such questions into the Health 
Related Behaviors Survey of Active Duty Military Personnel and the 
Health Related Behaviors Survey of Reserve Component Personnel.
    (c) Report.--Not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report on efforts undertaken pursuant to 
subsections (a) and (b) and the findings of the assessments and surveys 
described in those subsections with respect to the prevalence of 
gambling disorder among members of the Armed Forces.
    (d) Congressional Defense Committees Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning given that 
term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.

SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO 
              PREVENT AND TREAT GAMBLING DISORDER AMONG MEMBERS OF THE 
              ARMED FORCES AND THEIR DEPENDENTS.

    (a) Policies and Programs.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall develop and 
        implement policies and programs on prevention, education, and 
        treatment of gambling disorder and integrate gambling disorder 
        into existing mental health and substance use disorder 
        programs.
            (2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall develop the policies 
        and programs described in paragraph (1) in coordination with 
        the Interagency Task Force on Military and Veterans Mental 
        Health.
    (b) Educational Materials and Promotion of Responsible Behavior.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out policies and programs 
        developed and implemented under subsection (a)(1), if the 
        Secretary hosts or provides gambling activities at a morale, 
        welfare, and recreation facility of the Department of Defense, 
        the Secretary shall, at that facility--
                    (A) provide educational materials that identify the 
                risks of gambling and a list of resources and 
                informational material on where members of the Armed 
                Forces can seek help if they develop gambling disorder; 
                and
                    (B) implement measures that incentivize responsible 
                behavior, including access, availability, and patronage 
                restrictions comparable to other high-risk leisure 
                activities.
            (2) Funding of measures.--The Secretary shall fund measures 
        described in paragraph (1)(B) through the use of proceeds 
        generated by gambling activities at morale, welfare, and 
        recreation facilities of the Department.
    (c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional 
defense committees a report on efforts undertaken under this section.
    (d) Congressional Defense Committees Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``congressional defense committees'' has the meaning given that 
term in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.
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