[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 17]
[House]
[Pages 21936-21942]
[From the U.S. 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 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

[[Page 21937]]

     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 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

[[Page 21938]]

     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 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

[[Page 21939]]

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?

                              {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

[[Page 21940]]

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, 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

[[Page 21941]]

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 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.

[[Page 21942]]

  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 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.

                          ____________________