[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 59 (Monday, April 4, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H4147]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       LAW ENFORCEMENT NEED THE TOOLS TO DETECT IMPAIRED DRIVERS

  (Mr. GOTTHEIMER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GOTTHEIMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the crucial 
investment my bipartisan amendment to the MORE Act will make to support 
local law enforcement and to protect our children, families, and 
communities.
  My provision, which passed with a strong bipartisan majority, will 
invest $10 million for the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration to study technologies and methods that law enforcement 
may use to determine whether a driver is impaired by marijuana in their 
system.
  We know that marijuana significantly impairs judgment, motor 
coordination, and reaction time. Studies have found a direct 
relationship between blood THC concentration and impaired driving 
ability. In fact, drivers under the influence of marijuana regularly 
cause traffic collisions.
  We must give our law enforcement officers the tools to detect 
impaired drivers and get them off the road--and to always have their 
backs.
  Safety is always my top priority, and I am proud to lead efforts that 
invest in our law enforcement and protect our families.
  I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass my critically 
important provision, to ensure that law enforcement has the tools 
necessary to keep roads safe for our families.
  This investment is crucial to protecting our families from the 
dangers of impaired driving.

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