CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE
HR 3430, "YOUTH DRINKING ELIMINATION ACT" (11/30/99)
Representative Lois Capps (D-CA) has introduced HR 3430, the
"Youth Drinking Elimination Act," which would allow public and
non-profit private agencies to apply for competitive grants to
fund underage drinking prevention programs.
BACKGROUND
Thirty NCADD affiliates (thanks to everyone who was able to
respond within one working day to our Action Alert!) and
twenty other national and local organizations endorsed HR 3430
when it was introduced. NCADD worked with Rep. Capps to
develop the legislation, which gives the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) the authorization to spend $25 million a year for five years on the program.
The bill will require eligible entities to use science based and age appropriate approaches to prevention, report annually to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on the effectiveness of the programs and involve local public health officials and community prevention program staff in the planning and implementation of the grants.
HR 3430 could be considered by the House of Representatives when SAMHSA Reauthorization is taken up next year. Between now and then, we would like to get as many cosponsors as possible for the legislation. Similar legislation has not yet been introduced in the Senate; we are currently working to identify a sponsor.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Write (see sample letter) or call (Capitol Hill switchboard telephone number 202/224-3121) your representative and ask him or her to cosponsor HR 3430, the "Youth Drinking Elimination Act." You can also contact your representative via the internet by clicking here.
If you have any questions, please contact the Public Policy Office via email at publicpolicy@ncadd.org.
SAMPLE LETTER
The Honorable ---
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
On behalf of (name of agency), I strongly urge you to
cosponsor HR 3430, the Youth Drinking Elimination Act,
introduced by Representative Lois Capps. The legislation,
which would provide competitive grants to private
organizations and governmental agencies, would allow for
the development and implementation of programs and services
that strike at the heart of the problem.
Young people are under tremendous social pressure to
drink these days; programs that give them the skills
and means to remain alcohol-free should be a top
priority. Parents, educators, religious leaders, health
professionals and others are looking for help like this
because in many cases, underage drinking, unlike other
illicit drug use, is overlooked by policymakers.
Unfortunately, young people continue to drink at
unacceptably high levels. A 1996 survey focusing on the
alcohol related problems experienced by 4,390 high
school seniors and dropouts found that within the
preceding year, approximately 80 percent reported
either getting "drunk," binge drinking, or drinking and
driving. More than half said that drinking had caused them
to feel sick, miss school or work, get arrested or have a
car crash. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism also released a study in 1998 that found that the
younger the age of drinking onset, the greater the chance
that an individual at some point in life will develop a
clinically defined alcohol disorder.
Given these facts, we should be paying more attention to
underage drinking and its consequences. Despite the prevalent
attitudes that youthful drinking is a "rite of passage," it
can have devastating consequences that should not be ignored.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,