[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 111 (Thursday, July 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT AND POLICY COMMISSION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. THOMAS M. DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 22, 1996

  Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 497, the 
National Gambling Impact and Policy Commission Act; legislation 
introduced by my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Virginia, 
[Mr. Wolf]. I have cosponsored and support this bill because gambling 
is not the type of business my district needs or wants in order to 
build a strong economy and a stable tax base. Virginia has been 
extremely successful in attracting high tech and Fortune 500 companies 
that provide quality, high paying jobs. Furthermore, preliminary 
studies of areas that have introduced gambling show that while the 
number of jobs increase at first, over time the economy of the area 
suffers, resulting in the loss of high quality employers. We don't need 
this in my district and I suspect that many Members of this body have 
similar feelings.
  Already, my State is seeing the proliferation of gambling activities. 
One off-track horse betting parlor is already in operation in Virginia, 
and its owners are anxious to open a second. The bipartisan, unbiased 
nine-member commission this legislation will create will provide 
Congress and the President with the information necessary to make 
decisions regarding national policy on gambling. This study will grant 
the Federal Government invaluable information concerning gambling. 
Twenty years have passed since Congress visited this issue and the 
Commission on the Review of the National Policy toward Gambling issued 
its report. Since then, 46 States have legalized gambling in some 
fashion. In 1994, Americans wagered $482 billion on all forms of 
gambling according to U.S. News and World Report; 85 percent of that 
figure took place in casinos in 27 States, most of which have opened 
during the past 5 years. Because of the fact that this industry is 
growing at such an incredible rate, and because there is a lack of 
current knowledge on the effects of this particular industry on our 
society Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important and 
crucial legislation.