[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17218]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



           20TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2000

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and express my 
deepest gratitude to the thousands of individuals and victims 
throughout our nation, who have worked diligently to build and to 
extend the mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
  Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD, is a non-profit grass roots 
organization with more than 600 chapters nationwide and a presence 
around the world. Today, this worthy organization celebrates and 
remembers its 20th anniversary. Founded by a small group of California 
women in 1980 after a 13-year-old-girl was killed by a hit-and-run, 
repeat offender, MADD continues to work to find effective solutions to 
the drunk driving and underage drinking problems, while supporting 
those who have already experienced the pain of these senseless crimes.
  Thanks to the support of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, our roads and 
highways are today much safer. Due to their efforts, alcohol related 
traffic deaths have dropped, victim assistance institutes have been 
created to train volunteers on how to support victims of drunk driving 
and how to serve as their advocates in the criminal justice system, and 
in advocating important legislation, such as the Omnibus Anti-Drug 
Abuse Act, which has been enacted.
  Mr. Speaker, drunk driving is not an accident. Along with my friends 
in MADD, I will continue to work to pass .08 BAC legislation and to 
reduce the number of alcohol related deaths throughout our Nation. I 
thank the Mothers Against Drunk Driving. I support them, and I urge all 
of our colleagues to applaud their efforts over the past 20 years and 
in all of their future endeavors.

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