    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [June 21, 1995]
    [Pages 916-917]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Senator Robert Byrd on Proposed Drunk Driving Legislation
    June 21, 1995

    Dear Robert:
        Drinking and driving by young people is one of the nation's most
    serious threats to public health and public safety. I am deeply
    concerned about this ongoing tragedy that kills thousands of young
    people every year. It's against the law

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    for young people to drink. It should be against the law for young people
    to drink and drive.
        As you know, earlier this month, I called on Congress to make Zero
    Tolerance the law of the land. I support your amendment to the National
    Highway System Designation Act, which would achieve this goal.
        A decade ago, we decided as a nation that the minimum drinking age
    should be 21. In 1984, President Reagan signed bipartisan legislation to
    achieve this goal, and today all 50 states have enacted such laws. Our
    efforts are paying off--drunk driving deaths among people under 21 have
    been cut in half since 1984.
        But we must do more. Twenty-four states and the nation's capital
    have enacted Zero Tolerance laws that consider a driver under age 21 to
    be ``driving while impaired'' after just one full drink of alcohol.
    These laws work--alcohol-related crashes involving teenage drivers are
    down as much as 10-20 percent in those states. If all states had such
    laws, hundreds more lives could be saved and thousands of injuries could
    be prevented.
        I commend your efforts today, and I urge the Senate to pass your
    amendment.
        Sincerely,

                                                                Bill Clinton

    Note: This letter was made available by the Office of the Press
    Secretary but was not issued as a White House press release.