Sober Truth On Preventing Underage Drinking Act

SOBER TRUTH ON PREVENTING UNDERAGE DRINKING ACT -- (House of Representatives - December 07, 2006)

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Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all my colleagues for their many years of hard work to ensure that this bill reaches the floor: Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, Congressmen Osborne, Wolf and Wamp, as well as our colleagues in the other body, Senators Dodd and DeWine.

Passing the STOP Act, Congress has the opportunity to say here, enough. Enough to looking the other way when it comes to increasing problems of underage drinking. Enough of simply accepting that the average age that the kids start drinking is 13; that 7 million young people describe themselves as binge drinkers; and above all, we say enough to alcohol playing a role in the three leading causes of death among young people. It is time we do something about everyday young people engaging in behavior that leads to alcoholism.

So, Mr. Speaker, that is why we need this comprehensive bill. The STOP Act will increase resources for drinking prevention coalitions like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which we know already have a positive impact on teenagers. It will fund additional research and create a committee that delivers a report card on the progress we are or are not making, and it will review alcohol advertisements targeted toward young people.

And lastly the STOP Act would help us fund a national media campaign directed at adults. Too often parents ignore signs in their own children. They refuse to believe their own child could have a problem, and we need to turn that around.

So I urge my colleagues, support the STOP Act. As a Member of Congress, as someone who has lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, it is time that Congress spoke clearly and decisively about reducing underage drinking in our communities. With this bill, we can and we will.

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