[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 128 (Tuesday, November 14, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8628-H8635]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING ACT
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 864) to provide for programs and activities with
respect to the prevention of underage drinking, as amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
H.R. 864
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Sober
Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act, or the `STOP
Underage Drinking Act' ''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--SENSE OF CONGRESS
Sec. 101. Sense of Congress.
TITLE II--INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE; ANNUAL REPORT ON STATE
UNDERAGE DRINKING PREVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES
Sec. 201. Interagency coordinating committee on the prevention of
underage drinking.
Sec. 202. Annual report on State underage drinking prevention and
enforcement activities.
Sec. 203. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE III--NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Sec. 301. National media campaign to prevent underage drinking.
TITLE IV--INTERVENTIONS
Sec. 401. Community-based coalition enhancement grants to prevent
underage drinking.
Sec. 402. Grants directed at preventing and reducing alcohol abuse at
institutions of higher education.
TITLE V--ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
Sec. 501. Additional research on underage drinking.
Sec. 502. Authorization of appropriations.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act:
(1) The term ``alcohol beverage industry'' means the
brewers, vintners, distillers, importers, distributors, and
retail or online outlets that sell or serve beer, wine, and
distilled spirits.
(2) The term ``school-based prevention'' means programs,
which are institutionalized, and run by staff members or
school-designated persons or organizations in any
[[Page H8629]]
grade of school, kindergarten through 12th grade.
(3) The term ``youth'' means persons under the age of 21.
(4) The term ``IOM report'' means the report released in
September 2003 by the National Research Council, Institute of
Medicine, and entitled ``Reducing Underage Drinking: A
Collective Responsibility''.
TITLE I--SENSE OF CONGRESS
SEC. 101. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of the Congress that:
(1) A multi-faceted effort is needed to more successfully
address the problem of underage drinking in the United
States. A coordinated approach to prevention, intervention,
treatment, enforcement, and research is key to making
progress. This Act recognizes the need for a focused national
effort, and addresses particulars of the Federal portion of
that effort, as well as Federal support for State activities.
(2) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
continue to conduct research and collect data on the short
and long-range impact of alcohol use and abuse upon
adolescent brain development and other organ systems.
(3) States and communities, including colleges and
universities, are encouraged to adopt comprehensive
prevention approaches, including--
(A) evidence-based screening, programs and curricula;
(B) brief intervention strategies;
(C) consistent policy enforcement; and
(D) environmental changes that limit underage access to
alcohol.
(4) Public health groups, consumer groups, and the alcohol
beverage industry should continue and expand evidence-based
efforts to prevent and reduce underage drinking.
(5) The entertainment industries have a powerful impact on
youth, and they should use rating systems and marketing codes
to reduce the likelihood that underage audiences will be
exposed to movies, recordings, or television programs with
unsuitable alcohol content.
(6) The National Collegiate Athletic Association, its
member colleges and universities, and athletic conferences
should affirm a commitment to a policy of discouraging
alcohol use among underage students and other young fans.
(7) Alcohol is a unique product and should be regulated
differently than other products by the States and Federal
Government. States have primary authority to regulate alcohol
distribution and sale, and the Federal Government should
support and supplement these State efforts. States also have
a responsibility to fight youth access to alcohol and reduce
underage drinking. Continued State regulation and licensing
of the manufacture, importation, sale, distribution,
transportation and storage of alcoholic beverages are clearly
in the public interest and are critical to promoting
responsible consumption, preventing illegal access to alcohol
by persons under 21 years of age from commercial and non-
commercial sources, maintaining industry integrity and an
orderly marketplace, and furthering effective State tax
collection.
TITLE II--INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE; ANNUAL REPORT ON STATE
UNDERAGE DRINKING PREVENTION AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES
SEC. 201. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COMMITTEE ON THE
PREVENTION OF UNDERAGE DRINKING.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, in collaboration with the Federal officials
specified in subsection (b), shall formally establish and
enhance the efforts of the interagency coordinating
committee, that began operating in 2004, focusing on underage
drinking (referred to in this section as the ``Committee'').
(b) Other Agencies.--The officials referred to in
subsection (a) are the Secretary of Education, the Attorney
General, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of
the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the Surgeon General,
the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the Director of the National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism, the Administrator of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Director
of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Assistant
Secretary for Children and Families, the Director of the
Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Administrator of
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the
Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention, the Chairman of the Federal Trade
Commission, and such other Federal officials as the Secretary
of Health and Human Services determines to be appropriate.
(c) Chair.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall serve as the chair of the Committee.
(d) Duties.--The Committee shall guide policy and program
development across the Federal Government with respect to
underage drinking, provided, however, that nothing in this
Act shall be construed as transferring regulatory or program
authority from an Agency to the Coordinating Committee.
(e) Consultations.--The Committee shall actively seek the
input of and shall consult with all appropriate and
interested parties, including States, public health research
and interest groups, foundations, and alcohol beverage
industry trade associations and companies.
(f) Annual Report.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, on behalf of the Committee, shall annually submit
to the Congress a report that summarizes--
(A) all programs and policies of Federal agencies designed
to prevent and reduce underage drinking;
(B) the extent of progress in preventing and reducing
underage drinking nationally;
(C) data that the Secretary shall collect with respect to
the information specified in paragraph (2); and
(D) such other information regarding underage drinking as
the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(2) Certain information.--The report under paragraph (1)
shall include information on the following:
(A) Patterns and consequences of underage drinking as
reported in research and surveys such as, but not limited to
Monitoring the Future, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance
System, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and the
Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
(B) Measures of the availability of alcohol from commercial
and non-commercial sources to underage populations.
(C) Measures of the exposure of underage populations to
messages regarding alcohol in advertising and the
entertainment media as reported by the Federal Trade
Commission.
(D) Surveillance data, including information on the onset
and prevalence of underage drinking, consumption patterns and
the means of underage access. The Secretary shall develop a
plan to improve the collection, measurement and consistency
of reporting Federal underage alcohol data.
(E) Any additional findings resulting from research
conducted or supported under section 501.
(F) Evidence-based best practices to prevent and reduce
underage drinking and provide treatment services to those
youth who need them.
SEC. 202. ANNUAL REPORT ON STATE UNDERAGE DRINKING PREVENTION
AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall,
with input and collaboration from other appropriate Federal
agencies, States, Indian tribes, territories, and public
health, consumer, and alcohol beverage industry groups,
annually issue a report on each State's performance in
enacting, enforcing, and creating laws, regulations, and
programs to prevent or reduce underage drinking.
(b) State Performance Measures.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop, in
consultation with the Committee established in section 201, a
set of measures to be used in preparing the report on best
practices.
(2) Categories.--In developing these measures, the
Secretary shall consider categories including, but not
limited to:
(A) Whether or not the State has comprehensive anti-
underage drinking laws such as for the illegal sale,
purchase, attempt to purchase, consumption, or possession of
alcohol; illegal use of fraudulent ID; illegal furnishing or
obtaining of alcohol for an individual under 21 years; the
degree of strictness of the penalties for such offenses; and
the prevalence of the enforcement of each of these
infractions.
(B) Whether or not the State has comprehensive liability
statutes such as dram shop, social host and ``house party''
laws; and the prevalence of enforcement of each of these
infractions.
(C) Whether or not the State encourages and conducts
comprehensive enforcement efforts at retail outlets, such as
random compliance checks and shoulder tap programs; and the
number of compliance checks within alcohol retail outlets
measured against the number of total alcohol retail outlets
in each State; and the results of such checks.
(D) Whether or not the State mandates or encourages
training on the proper selling and serving of alcohol for all
sellers and servers of alcohol as a condition of employment.
(E) Whether or not the State has policies and regulations
with regard to direct sales to consumers and home delivery of
alcoholic beverages.
(F) Whether or not the State has programs or laws to deter
adults from purchasing alcohol for minors; and the number of
adults targeted by these programs.
(G) Whether or not the State has programs targeted to
youths, parents, and caregivers to deter underage drinking;
and the number of individuals served by these programs.
(H) Whether or not the State has enacted graduated drivers
licenses and the extent of those provisions.
(I) The amount that the State invests, per youth capita, on
the prevention of underage drinking, further broken down by
the amount spent on--
(i) compliance check programs in retail outlets, including
providing technology to prevent and detect the use of false
identification by minors to make alcohol purchases;
(ii) checkpoints and saturation patrols;
(iii) community-based, school-based, and higher-education-
based programs to prevent underage drinking;
(iv) underage drinking prevention programs that target
youth within the juvenile justice and child welfare systems;
and
(v) other State efforts or programs as deemed appropriate.
SEC. 203. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this
title $1,000,000 for fiscal year
[[Page H8630]]
2007, and $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008
through 2010.
TITLE III--NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
SEC. 301. NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT UNDERAGE
DRINKING.
(a) Scope of the Campaign.--The Secretary of Health and
Human Services shall continue to fund and oversee the
production, broadcasting, and evaluation of the Ad Council's
national adult-oriented media public service campaign.
(b) Report.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall provide a report to the Congress annually detailing the
production, broadcasting, and evaluation of the campaign
referred to in subsection (a), and to detail in the report
the effectiveness of the campaign in reducing underage
drinking, the need for and likely effectiveness of an
expanded adult-oriented media campaign, and the feasibility
and the likely effectiveness of a national youth-focused
media campaign to combat underage drinking.
(c) Consultation Requirement.--In carrying out the media
campaign, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall
direct the Ad Council to consult with interested parties
including both the alcohol beverage industry and public
health and consumer groups. The progress of this consultative
process is to be covered in the report under subsection (b).
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section, $1,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007 and $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2008 through 2010.
TITLE IV--INTERVENTIONS
SEC. 401. COMMUNITY-BASED COALITION ENHANCEMENT GRANTS TO
PREVENT UNDERAGE DRINKING.
(a) Authorization of Program.--The Administrator of the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, in
consultation with the Director of the Office of National Drug
Control Policy, shall award ``enhancement grants'' to
eligible entities to design, test, evaluate and disseminate
effective strategies to maximize the effectiveness of
community-wide approaches to preventing and reducing underage
drinking.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are to--
(1) prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth in
communities throughout the United States;
(2) strengthen collaboration among communities, the Federal
Government, and State, local, and tribal governments;
(3) enhance intergovernmental cooperation and coordination
on the issue of alcohol use among youth;
(4) serve as a catalyst for increased citizen participation
and greater collaboration among all sectors and organizations
of a community that first demonstrates a long-term commitment
to reducing alcohol use among youth;
(5) disseminate to communities timely information regarding
state-of-the-art practices and initiatives that have proven
to be effective in preventing and reducing alcohol use among
youth; and
(6) enhance, not supplant, effective local community
initiatives for preventing and reducing alcohol use among
youth.
(c) Application.--An eligible entity desiring an
enhancement grant under this section shall submit an
application to the Administrator at such time, and in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the
Administrator may require. Each application shall include--
(1) a complete description of the entity's current underage
alcohol use prevention initiatives and how the grant will
appropriately enhance the focus on underage drinking issues;
or
(2) a complete description of the entity's current
initiatives, and how it will use this grant to enhance those
initiatives by adding a focus on underage drinking
prevention.
(d) Uses of Funds.--Each eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section shall use the grant funds to carry
out the activities described in such entity's application
submitted pursuant to subsection (c). Grants under this
section shall not exceed $50,000 per year and may not exceed
four years.
(e) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under
this section shall be used to supplement, not supplant,
Federal and non-Federal funds available for carrying out the
activities described in this section.
(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section, the term
``eligible entity'' means an organization that is currently
receiving or has received grant funds under the Drug-Free
Communities Act of 1997 (21 U.S.C. 1521 et seq.).
(g) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 6 percent of a
grant under this section may be expended for administrative
expenses.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007, and $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2008 through 2010.
SEC. 402. GRANTS DIRECTED AT PREVENTING AND REDUCING ALCOHOL
ABUSE AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
(a) Authorization of Program.--The Secretary shall award
grants to eligible entities to enable the entities to prevent
and reduce the rate of underage alcohol consumption including
binge drinking among students at institutions of higher
education.
(b) Applications.--An eligible entity that desires to
receive a grant under this Act shall submit an application to
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied
by such information as the Secretary may require. Each
application shall include--
(1) a description of how the eligible entity will work to
enhance an existing, or where none exists to build a,
statewide coalition;
(2) a description of how the eligible entity will target
underage students in the State;
(3) a description of how the eligible entity intends to
ensure that the statewide coalition is actually implementing
the purpose of this Act and moving toward indicators
described in section (d);
(4) a list of the members of the statewide coalition or
interested parties involved in the work of the eligible
entity;
(5) a description of how the eligible entity intends to
work with State agencies on substance abuse prevention and
education;
(6) the anticipated impact of funds provided under this Act
in preventing and reducing the rates of underage alcohol use;
(7) outreach strategies, including ways in which the
eligible entity proposes to--
(A) reach out to students and community stakeholders;
(B) promote the purpose of this Act;
(C) address the range of needs of the students and the
surrounding communities; and
(D) address community norms for underage students regarding
alcohol use; and
(8) such additional information as required by the
Secretary.
(c) Uses of Funds.--Each eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section shall use the grant funds to carry
out the activities described in such entity's application
submitted pursuant to subsection (b).
(d) Accountability.--On the date on which the Secretary
first publishes a notice in the Federal Register soliciting
applications for grants under this section, the Secretary
shall include in the notice achievement indicators for the
program authorized under this section. The achievement
indicators shall be designed--
(1) to measure the impact that the statewide coalitions
assisted under this Act are having on the institutions of
higher education and the surrounding communities, including
changes in the number of incidents of any kind in which
students have abused alcohol or consumed alcohol while under
the age of 21 (including violations, physical assaults,
sexual assaults, reports of intimidation, disruptions of
school functions, disruptions of student studies, mental
health referrals, illnesses, or deaths);
(2) to measure the quality and accessibility of the
programs or information offered by the eligible entity; and
(3) to provide such other measures of program impact as the
Secretary determines appropriate.
(e) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds provided under
this Act shall be used to supplement, and not supplant,
Federal and non-Federal funds available for carrying out the
activities described in this section.
(f) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
State, institution of higher education, or nonprofit entity.
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 50 States,
the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico.
(5) Statewide coalition.--The term ``statewide coalition''
means a coalition that--
(A) includes, but is not limited to--
(i) institutions of higher education within a State; and
(ii) a nonprofit group, a community underage drinking
prevention coalition, or another substance abuse prevention
group within a State; and
(B) works toward lowering the alcohol abuse rate by
targeting underage students at institutions of higher
education throughout the State and in the surrounding
communities.
(6) Surrounding community.--The term ``surrounding
community'' means the community--
(A) that surrounds an institution of higher education
participating in a statewide coalition;
(B) where the students from the institution of higher
education take part in the community; and
(C) where students from the institution of higher education
live in off-campus housing.
(g) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 5 percent of a
grant under this section may be expended for administrative
expenses.
(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007, and $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years
2008 through 2010.
TITLE V--ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
SEC. 501. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON UNDERAGE DRINKING.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall collect data on, and conduct or support research on,
underage drinking with respect to the following:
(1) Comprehensive community-based programs or strategies
and statewide systems to prevent and reduce underage
drinking, across the underage years from early childhood to
age 21, including programs funded
[[Page H8631]]
and implemented by government entities, public health
interest groups and foundations, and alcohol beverage
companies and trade associations.
(2) Annually obtain and report more precise information
than is currently collected on the scope of the underage
drinking problem and patterns exhibited in underage alcohol
consumption, including improved knowledge of both the problem
and progress in preventing, reducing and treating underage
drinking; as well as information on the rate of exposure of
youth to advertising and other media messages encouraging and
discouraging alcohol consumption.
(3) Compiling information on the involvement of alcohol in
unnatural deaths of persons ages 12 to 20 in the United
States, including suicides, homicides, and unintentional
injuries such as falls, drownings, burns, poisonings, and
motor vehicle crash deaths.
(b) Certain Matters.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall carry out activities toward the following
objectives with respect to underage drinking:
(1) Obtaining new epidemiological data within the National
Epidemiological Study on Alcoholism and Related Conditions
and other national or targeted surveys that identify alcohol
use and attitudes about alcohol use during pre- and early
adolescence, including harm caused to self or others as a
result of adolescent alcohol use such as violence, date rape,
risky sexual behavior, and prenatal alcohol exposure.
(2) Developing or identifying successful clinical
treatments for youth with alcohol problems.
(c) Peer Review.--Research under section 501 must meet
current Federal standards for scientific peer review.
SEC. 502. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
section 501 $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, and $6,000,000
for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Deal) and the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Baldwin)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
General Leave
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and to add extraneous material on this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 864, the Sober Truth on
Preventing Underage Drinking Act. Commonly referred to as the STOP Act,
this legislation takes several important measures to address the
problem of underage drinking.
Underage drinking is a serious problem in our country that has
serious consequences. It is estimated that nearly one-third of children
and adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20 use alcohol, which is a
higher percentage than those who use tobacco or illicit drugs. Alcohol
is a leading contributor to death and injury among adolescents. Over
5,000 young people die every year as a result of injuries that involve
drinking.
Not only does underage drinking cause accidents, injuries and death,
but it can have a lasting impact on a young person's physical
development. Studies have shown that the human brain continues to
develop into a young person's early 20s, and that exposure of the
developing brain to alcohol may have long-lasting effects on
intellectual capabilities and increase the likelihood of alcohol
addiction.
The legislation before us today will take several steps to address
the problem of underage drinking at the national level. It would also
assist States, localities and institutions of higher learning in their
efforts to prevent underage drinking. The bill would create a
nationwide media campaign to educate youth and parents on the dangers
of underage drinking. It would also assist States in collecting data on
underage drinking laws and their enforcement around the country, so
that States can collaborate and learn from each other about which
strategies are most effective at combating this problem. The bill also
calls for research to be conducted on the influences and pressures that
entice youth to consume alcohol.
I am pleased to recognize Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, the lead
sponsor of the bill, Congressman Tom Osborne and other Members who have
worked so hard on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, at this time I ask unanimous consent that Mr. Flake from
Arizona be able to control 5 minutes of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 864, the Sober
Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act or STOP Underage Drinking
Act.
Underage drinking is a serious public health concern in communities
throughout our Nation. According to 2004 estimates from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, there were over 142,000 emergency room
visits by youth, age 12 to 20, for unintentional injuries and other
health-related concerns caused by alcohol consumption.
This bill builds interagency and community-based coalitions focusing
on underage drinking, funds the production, broadcast and evaluation of
national media-based public health campaigns about the dangers of
underage drinking, and establishes grant programs for preventing and
reducing alcohol abuse at institutions of higher education and
surrounding communities.
This bill is a great start in moving our Nation towards the goal of
decreasing youth access to, and consumption of, alcohol. It has the
endorsement of both the alcohol beverage industry and a number of key
public health advocates, both committed to the idea that a multifaceted
national effort is key to making progress in curbing underage alcohol
consumption.
I want to express my appreciation to Congresswoman Roybal-Allard's
office, as well as the many other lead cosponsors of this bill that
include Representatives Wamp, Osborne and DeLauro. I also want to thank
the committee staff; the committee staff have dedicated their time and
attention and effort to this bill. And I urge my colleagues to support
this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time
Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for giving me time on
this bill.
I am not rising today to debate the merits of trying to prevent
underage drinking. What I am here to do is challenge the Federal
Government's role in authorizing what amounts, in this bill, to $40
million for two new grant programs, $24 million for a new research
initiative, $4 million to establish a new Federal committee, and
another $4 million for a public service announcement. This is a total
of $72 million over 4 years. And here's the real kicker: There already
exist Federal programs that do exactly what this suspension bill
intends to do.
My staff and I visited www.thecoolspot.gov this morning. The Cool
Spot was created for young teens by the lead U.S. agency supporting
research into the causes, prevention and treatment of alcohol programs.
It is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, an
agency that is estimated to receive over $430 million in fiscal year
2007 and to do exactly what this suspension bill intends to do.
The acting director of this agency justified in House and Senate
Appropriations Committee hearings a budget increase of over $2 million
for fiscal year 2005 to 2006 by claiming the agency would expand its
research into youth alcohol abuse.
But if you think that there needs to be more money, you can visit
www.alcoholfreechildren.org, another underage drinking program that
receives Federal funding from the Federal Government. Or there's
www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov, or www.alcoholpolicy.gov.
Why are we spending $72 million on Federal research and grants to
establish duplicative programs? And why are we doing this exactly 1
week after the voters told us that they were tired of wasteful
spending?
Mr. Speaker, we simply cannot afford to keep adding new
authorizations, new Federal programs when we know that we are running
deficits and we have a massive debt. Where does it end? Where do we
say, you know, having seven or eight or a dozen programs that already
do virtually the exact same thing are enough?
[[Page H8632]]
{time} 1245
Why are we simply adding another? We can't continue to do this. So I
would rise in opposition to this legislation and urge my colleagues to
vote against it.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 5 minutes to the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne).
Mr. OSBORNE. I would like to thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I rise
in support of H.R. 864. As many have pointed out, underage drinking
certainly flies under the radar screen, because alcohol is legal, and
it is widely accepted. I understand the objection to new spending, a
so-called new program.
I think it is important to realize that many programs involving
alcohol abuse are already ongoing, and they are funded, but they are
not authorized, and there is no oversight. That is what this bill does.
We are not talking about completely new spending on every issue. We
are simply trying to rein in and control and to better channel the
spending on underage drinking.
Underage drinking costs the citizens of Nebraska $435 million a year.
The United States estimate is $53 billion a year. AMA estimates $61
billion. If you can cut that by 10 percent, you are talking about a $5
billion savings. We can do that.
So let us not be a penny wise and a pound foolish on this, which is
what I think we may be talking about here. But the cost is measured in
more than money. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
estimated the number of underage deaths due to excessive alcohol use at
4,554 a year. That is more than six times the rate of death in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
We have agonized on this floor over that death rate, and yet we are
having six times more young people die every year, and it is sort of
something that doesn't capture our attention. An estimated 3 million
teenagers are full-blown alcoholics, and several million more have
serious drinking problems. Alcohol kills six times more young people
than all other illegal drugs combined.
So the Federal Government, in response, spends 25 times more annually
to combat youth drug use, which would be cocaine, heroin,
methamphetamine, marijuana, than it does to prevent underage alcohol
use, which is $1.8 billion on the drug side versus $71 million on the
alcohol side. That doesn't make sense. It is tremendously imbalanced.
This is the biggest problem we have as far as our young people, and yet
we are spending a drop in the bucket compared to what we are spending
on other drugs.
Recent studies have found that heavy exposure of the adolescent brain
to alcohol interferes with brain development, which is a real problem,
and this is something that has really come to light only in the last 2
or 3 years. It was assumed for a long time that drinking with a 12-year
old is the same as drinking if you are 30 years old, but it really is
not in terms of what it does to the adolescent brain or the adolescent
body, and we need to focus on that.
According to an analysis performed in 2004, the average age in which
12- to 17-year-olds begin drinking is age 13. Now when you start at age
13, that does some stuff to you. Young people tend to binge drink; 92
percent of the alcohol consumed by 12- to 14-year olds is consumed when
they are having five or more drinks upon a single occasion; 12- to 14-
year-olds, 92 percent of them are binge drinking. They do not drink
socially, they drink to get drunk, in most cases. That, again, of
course, is a huge problem with our young people.
Young people who began drinking before age 15 are four times more
likely to develop alcohol dependence. The STOP Act, which we are
talking about here today, includes four major areas of policy
development. The first creates an interagency coordinating committee,
and that is something that I want to address to Mr. Flake, because
these programs that he cited, and I agree with him, there are some
things that are out there, but they are not coordinated, and as a
result we are spending money here and there, but it is not channeled,
it is not funneled in the direction that it has to be.
So what we need to do is have this report filed with Congress so we
know what works and what doesn't work. What are we spending money on
that is not effective. What are we spending money on that is effective.
That is the important distinction here.
The STOP Act would authorize a national media campaign against
underage drinking, which would be directed at adults. Now, this is
important, because the biggest single determinant as to what young
people do with underage drinking is the attitude of their parents, and
we totally missed that point.
So whatever advertising we do is aimed at kids, it is not at the
adults who influence their thinking. So we think that this is a
critical component. The bill would also provide additional resources to
prevent underage drinking, including alcohol specific grants through
the drug-free communities program, and competitive grants that would
create statewide coalitions to prevent underage drinking and alcohol
abuse by college and university students.
Currently, we are losing 1,700 college students a year to underage
drinking, 1,700. There are roughly 70,000 date rapes in this regard as
well.
So I would like to thank Jeremiah Blake on my staff, Ms. Roybal-
Allard, Mr. Wamp, Ms. DeLauro, Mr. Wolf and Senator DeWine and Senator
Dodd. I appreciate their hard work and urge passage.
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the
bill's primary author, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-
Allard).
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. I thank my colleague for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, the passage of the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage
Drinking Act is an opportunity for this House to make a historic
commitment to the well-being of our children and our Nation.
I extend my sincere thanks to my colleagues, Frank Wolf, Tom Osborne,
Zach Wamp, Rosa DeLauro for their original cosponsorship of my bill.
Their commitment and steadfast efforts throughout the years have helped
to make possible today's consideration of this significant piece of
legislation.
I particularly want to acknowledge the efforts of Congressman
Osborne. Passage of the STOP Act would be an important part of his
legacy as he retires from Congress at the end of this session. Tom, I
wish you well, and I thank you for being a champion on behalf of our
children.
I also thank Senators DeWine and Dodd for sponsoring the companion
bill in the Senate. I thank the public health groups, especially MADD,
CAMY, CSPI and CADCA for working with me over 10 years on this critical
issue. Their advocacy has raised the level of awareness in Congress and
throughout the Nation about our public health crisis of underage
drinking, and I commend them for their efforts. I also thank the
alcohol beverage industry for its efforts this year in support of the
STOP Act.
Mr. Speaker, prior to being elected to public office, I worked for a
nonprofit agency which focused on alcohol abuse. At that agency, I
witnessed firsthand the many devastating consequences of irresponsible
drinking. That experience is what motivated me to find ways to address
underage drinking. Initially, my colleagues and I commissioned a
landmark study by the Institute of Medicine to determine the extent of
the problem in our country.
The IOM study was published in 2003, and its findings were more than
alarming. The study found, for example, that in the United States, in
any given month, nearly 11 million of our youth between the ages of 12
and 20 drink alcohol. This number includes nearly 1 in 5 of 8th
graders, 1 in 3 of 10th graders and half of all 12th graders. It also
includes the over 5,000 youth in our Nation under the age of 16, who
will take their first drink by the end of today.
Mr. Speaker, the result of these facts is that today alone at least
three teenagers will die from drinking and driving, and six more will
die from alcohol-related causes such as a homicide, suicide and
drowning. To add to these tragic consequences is a recent scientific
study that suggests that youth who drink alcohol can lose as much as 10
percent of that which they learn compared to those who don't drink.
When one considers the additional problems associated with drinking
before the legal age of 21, like car accidents, violent crime, unsafe
sexual activity and teenage pregnancy, one begins to sense the extent
and tragic consequences of underage drinking, which,
[[Page H8633]]
according to the American Medical Association, costs our country more
than $61 billion a year.
Using the Institute of Medicine's study as a guide to help address
this crisis, my colleagues and I initiated an interagency council which
brought together for the first time Federal agencies with jurisdiction
over programs related to underage drinking.
Also, in December 2005, with Federal funds we secured, the Ad Council
began airing a national media campaign to educate parents about the
dangers of consuming alcohol before the age of 21.
In the 108th Congress, based on the recommendations of the IOM
report, my colleagues and I introduced the STOP Act. The STOP Act is
the first comprehensive piece of national legislation to address
underage drinking in this country. This legislation makes permanent the
national anti-underage drinking campaign directed at parents and makes
permanent the interagency council to coordinate Federal efforts.
In addition, the STOP Act requires an annual report by the Secretary
of HHS on the progress States are making to address underage drinking.
H.R. 864 also makes available research grants to find effective
strategies to deter childhood drinking and grants to communities and
colleges to address this crisis.
Mr. Speaker, our Nation must no longer be complacent about underage
drinking and its alarming consequences. We must bring this national
public health crisis out of the shadow and into the bright light of a
national priority.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the passage of H.R. 864, the
STOP Act.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman
from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).
Mr. WAMP. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership in bringing
this bill to the floor, and to the ranking member. I also want to thank
the gentleman from Arizona, who is leaving the floor, for being a watch
guard, for standing on the wall, because we haven't done enough of
that, and we need to do that all the time.
Even though on this particular issue, I would come today and say we
need to go forward with investments that will save us billions of
dollars in the future. I also want to remind people that this is the
illegal use of this legal product.
That hasn't been talked about enough on the floor today, that
underage drinking is illegal. When other things are illegal, we pay
attention to it. Illegal immigration didn't get enough attention. It is
a misdemeanor, so it is not that big a deal. And now we are addressing
it because it became a big problem.
This is the illegal use of a legal product, and we need to address it
on a national level because you can't hodgepodge and address a national
problem that frankly is like a cancer among young people.
I want to reemphasize the binge drinking problem. I don't know if you
have taken your family to the beach for spring break, but as my
children were growing up, we would go, and I was shocked at what I saw.
When I was young, I sowed wild oats, but I had never seen anything
like this where 15- and 16-year-old kids just completely sick and
running into telephone poles. I mean, it was not only not funny, it was
one of the scariest things I have ever seen. Because these kids get
away from their parents, and they binge drink until they are sick.
Dozens of them are going to the hospital, and some of them dying. This
is a problem, a big problem that needs to be addressed, and we need
accurate information.
We don't need the information from the industry. That is what has
dominated this debate forever. We need the government to give us the
accurate information, cause and effect, advertising leads to. This is
an illegal use of a product with our children that is devastating the
next generation.
I know moms and dads should raise their children and stay on top of
them and keep them, but this problem is getting much worse, and the
government needs to do a better job at addressing this problem. I also
know we are going against the grain. This is the popular culture. This
is iconic, Hollywood promotes it, it is all around us. But I have got
to tell you, in a world that is going in the wrong direction, the
people that are advocating on this issue, Ms. Roybal-Allard with me for
12 years, and Frank Wolf, and Coach Osborne for 6 years, we are going
against the grain.
The wind is in our face. We are going in the right direction. The
world is going in the wrong direction. The world is going down the
tubes with things like this, and we need to stand against it together,
united, and invest wisely to frankly save the next generation from some
problems. I know it starts at home, but all families are not staying
together.
All children are not getting the basics, and they are devastating our
culture. Frankly, alcohol leads to a lot of other things when you start
drinking at 12-years old. It is a big problem that needs to be
addressed. Frankly, the industry has pushed us back and pushed us back.
Coach Osborne, thank you for sharing 6 years of your life with all of
us here in the House of Representatives. Thank you for your service and
thank you for your whole life of helping other people. You are an icon.
{time} 1300
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to one of
the bill's cosponsors, the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank, again, all my colleagues
who have worked for so many years to see this bill reach the floor:
Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, Congressmen Osborne, Wolf and Wamp, as
well as our colleagues in the other body, Senators Dodd and DeWine.
This is an important moment, one in which this Congress says ``enough
is enough.'' For too long we have looked the other way when it comes to
the increasing problem of underage drinking, and the results of our
inaction are clear.
Today, the average age kids start drinking is 13; 7 million young
people describe themselves as binge drinkers; alcohol plays a role in
the three leading causes of death among young people; and studies tell
us that the average young person today, not the troubled teen, but the
average kid, is engaging in behavior that leads to alcoholism.
Mr. Speaker, the time for action is now. This is a disease that
starts when we are young, and it does not get better as we get older.
It gets worse. That is why we need this comprehensive bill. To start
with, the STOP Act will increase resources for drinking prevention
coalitions like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which we already know
have had a positive impact on teenagers. This bill supports them.
It will also fund more research and create a committee charged with
delivering a record card on the progress we are making and what we can
do better. The committee will also give us a better picture of the
degree to which this problem is exacerbated by advertisements targeted
toward young people.
Lastly, the STOP Act would help us fund a national media campaign
directed to adults to make them as aware of the dangers associated with
underage drinking as possible. Too often, when it comes to adults,
parents think ``not my child,'' and we need to turn that around.
So I urge my colleagues to support the STOP Act. As a Member of
Congress and as someone who lost a family member in a drunk driving
accident, it is long past time that Congress said with one voice that
it is serious about reducing underage drinking in our communities. With
this bill, we can and we will.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the greatest natural resource in this country
is not the Spotted Owl, it is not the Grand Canyon, it is not the
environment, it is our children, and this bill is a preventive bill.
I spent all my life in the criminal justice system before I came to
Congress, 22 years on the criminal court in Houston, Texas. I saw about
25,000 people work their way to the courthouse. Many of those people
were young people who made bad decisions, first to drink and then to
commit a crime like driving. I will relate one of those to you.
A young lady by the name of Lisa, graduating from one of our local
high schools, was, as was said earlier, just a regular person, not a
troubled child. In
[[Page H8634]]
fact, she was an honor student, a National Merit Scholar going to one
of the Ivy League colleges upon graduation.
She and her best friend drove to a nearby town, had something to eat
to celebrate, and then they decided they needed something to drink,
because that was the thing to do, even though both of them were 18-
year-olds, under the age to drink.
They did have something to drink. The waiter knew they were underage,
but he figured he would get a big tip if he served them, and he did.
They were driving home in Lisa's mother's car. Having too much to
drink, she started weaving on one of our farm-to-market roads, crashed
in a ditch and killed her best friend in the car, her very best friend,
her next-door neighbor. Because of that crime, involuntary
manslaughter, drinking and driving and killing somebody under Texas
law, it was mandatory that she go to the penitentiary for a period of
time.
But in court, when that 5-foot-2 little girl came to court, she said
to me, ``Judge Poe, this can't happen to me. This can't happen to me.''
But, you see, that is life's biggest lie, especially among young
people. It can happen. It does happen. It destroys lives.
And rather than wait to be reactionary, to so-called punish somebody
for committing that crime, we need to educate. We need to make sure
that young people understand it is not socially acceptable or legal to
drink under the age of 21.
I appreciate this bill. This is a good bill to be sponsored to show
that we have a concern about our children. I too want to thank Coach
Osborne for dedicating his life to the betterment of young people.
Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, let me say to my friend from Arizona (Mr. Flake) that I
agree with his observations and I agree with his concern; but as
pointed out by Mr. Osborne, I believe that this is a bill that can help
solve part of that problem, to give some oversight mechanisms to
existing allocations, to give some response back to this Congress about
programs that are working and that are not working.
I think the challenge that we all face, and I pledge to him to work
with him cooperatively in this effort, is in the appropriations
process. And pointing out this is not an appropriations bill, this is
an authorization bill, that in the appropriations process, that we try
to make sure that our appropriators funnel the money only to those
programs that are authorized, such as this one, that will have some
oversight and response back to this Congress, so that we can eliminate
duplicative programs. I would pledge to him that I would work
cooperatively with him in that effort.
But I do believe this is a well-thought-out piece of legislation and
one that I would urge this body to adopt
Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R.
864, the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act. If enacted,
this legislation would require Federal, State, local and tribal
authorities to adopt a comprehensive and coordinated approach toward
mitigating and countering underage consumption of alcoholic beverages.
I fully support a multifaceted strategy toward addressing this public
health issue. Preventing underage drinking requires strict enforcement
of existing laws, comprehensive education to prevent binge drinking,
and continued research of the effects of alcohol on the health of
adolescents. Combating the problem of underage drinking also requires
committed efforts by community leaders, parents, teachers, mentors,
policy makers, and others to work to instill an increased sense of
responsibility and respect for the law in young people.
I firmly believe that investing in research of the effects alcohol
has on minors and raising public awareness among at-risk demographic
groups, parents, and educators are two important ways to mitigating and
countering underage drinking. As leaders, it is our duty to help
improve the health and well-being of the next generation. Doing so will
ensure that they have the utmost opportunity to lead productive and
prosperous lives. By countering underage drinking, we are allowing
young adults to recognize their full potential. Enactment of this
legislation would go far toward achieving these goals.
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 864, the STOP
Underage Drinking Act. First and foremost, I would like to thank the
sponsors--Mrs. Roybal-Allard and Mr. Osborne--for their diligence over
the years on this issue and am pleased to see their work pay off today.
Keeping alcohol out of the hands of America's youth is of the utmost
importance and this bill will ensure that the federal government is
doing its part, working hand-in-hand with private industry and other
public interest groups while strengthening the intent of congress that
states have the primary jurisdiction to regulate the sale, production
and distribution of alcohol under the 21st amendment.
Alcohol, Mr. Speaker, has always been regarded as a unique product
throughout American history. No one would suggest that it is the same
as a flat screen television or ball bearings. No, alcohol can have
tangible societal costs--from underage drinking, drunken driving
deaths, and other issues stemming from overconsumption. Be it through
the tax law or the 21st amendment, Congress has never intended alcohol
to be just another consumer good--as evidenced by the unique regulatory
model put in place after prohibition was repealed. We have always
placed this distinction on the product, because of the societal dangers
involved--not consumer irresponsibility. Because of these concerns, it
is of the utmost importance for us to keep alcohol away from children.
We need to prevent abuse in our communities and detach the stigma
associated with these challenges so that we can meet them head on.
As we confront underage drinking today and the responsibility issues
that go along with them, we must also face the reality that while the
federal government is well-suited to coordinate national ad campaigns
and other valuable research studies; we must understand that states
should and do have the primary jurisdiction to regulate the
distribution, production and sale of alcohol under the 21st amendment.
States and their individual regulatory models are our best ally and
the people's best ally in the fight against underage drinking. We in
Brooklyn do not want Boise's laws and they probably do not want ours
either under the guise of Big Brother knows best.
In addition to the programs which are authorized in this bill, I hope
this will serve to put groups who look to dismantle our regulatory
system on notice that Congress will continue to utilize its bully
pulpit to advance best practices and responsibility from the industry
and the public.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the sponsors of H.R. 864
and laud their efforts and urge my colleagues to pass this much-needed
legislation into law.
Mr. RENZI. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you in support of H.R. 864,
the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) Act.
I would like to thank Congresswoman Roybal-Allard for introducing the
Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act, and I would also like
to thank Majority Leader Boehner for bringing this measure to the
floor.
Protecting our young people from the consequences of underage
drinking must be a national priority. In my home state of Arizona, 20
percent of children and teens from 12 to 20 years old regularly drink
five or more drinks in one sitting, according to the National Survey on
Drug Use and Health conducted by the Department of Health and Human
Services.
State and tribal enforcement efforts and regulations are central in
our fight against underage drinking.
This legislation holds the States accountable for enforcing underage
drinking laws by mandating that the Department of Health and Human
Services issue an annual report card to rate the performance of each
State in preventing or reducing underage drinking.
Additionally, this measure requires the Director of the Office of
National Drug Control Policy to award grants to design and disseminate
strategies to maximize the effectiveness of community-wide approaches
to preventing and reducing underage drinking.
The bill would provide $5 million in enhancement grants to the Drug
Free Communities program to address the problem of underage drinking.
Also, another new program will be funded at $5 million annually to
provide competitive grants to states, non-profits, and institutions of
higher education to create statewide coalitions to prevent underage
drinking and alcohol abuse by university students.
In my district, I have fought hard to work against substance abuse by
supporting funding to combat alcohol and drug abuse. Just this past
September, the Navajo Nation received a $98,000 grant from the
Department of Justice for breathalyzers. Statistics have shown that
about 90 percent of violent crime on the Navajo Nation is alcohol-
related, and many of our young people are learning that substance abuse
is a way of life.
I am pleased that the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking
(STOP) Act is
[[Page H8635]]
being considered by the full House this afternoon and I look forward to
its passage to provide additional tools to prevent underage drinking in
Arizona and throughout the Nation.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the STOP Act.
This bill is the result of a lot of hard work by its authors and
represents a strong effort to reduce underage drinking.
The diligence put into drafting this bill is reflected by the broad
support of this bill by the beer and wine industries.
Many in the industry have worked hard to curb underage drinking for
years.
As a result of these efforts, underage drinking has been
significantly reduced, evidenced by recent data showing that over 70
percent of youths aged 12-20 do not drink.
I commend the beer and wine industries as a whole in their efforts to
decrease underage drinking.
This bill will continue and strengthen these efforts, and I am
pleased to support it.
Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 864, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those voting have responded in the affirmative.
Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
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