[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 10448-10449]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HERO CAMPAIGN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. FRANK A. LoBIONDO

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 24, 2015

  Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor to recognize the 15th 
Anniversary of the John R. Elliot HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers.
  The HERO Campaign was created by Bill and Muriel Elliot in honor of 
their son John, a Naval Academy graduate, that seeks to end drunken 
driving tragedies nationwide by promoting the use of safe and sober 
designated drivers. This campaign, which began as a result of the death 
of John at the hands of a drunk driver who was arrested and released 
while still intoxicated, resulted in the enactment of John's Law which 
allows police to hold a driver's vehicle for up to 12 hours if

[[Page 10449]]

they are arrested for driving while under the influence.
  Since the organization's founding in 2000, the HERO Campaign has 
organized more than 100,000 designated drivers to end drunk driving and 
has extended its reach to over seven states, from Massachusetts to 
Kentucky, through its partnerships with the NFL and NASCAR. In 2005, I 
was a co-sponsor of H.R. 3--the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU) that 
included this needed provision and ensured John's legacy would live on 
through the protection of drivers across the nation
  Finally, I would like to extend my appreciation to Bill and Muriel 
for their many years of hard work on this very important issue. The 
strength they have shown in turning tragedy into a worthwhile cause is 
a testament to their son's memory and the noble and needed cause to end 
drunk driving.

                          ____________________