[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 15] [House] [Pages 20297-20299] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]SUPPORTING THE WE DON'T SERVE TEENS CAMPAIGN Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1042) supporting the We Don't Serve Teens campaign, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: [[Page 20298]] H. Res. 1042 Whereas the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates there are 10,700,000 underage alcoholic beverage drinkers in the United States; Whereas research shows that young people who start drinking alcoholic beverages before the age of 15 are 4 times more likely to develop an alcohol-related disorder later in life; Whereas surveys show that 17 percent of 8th graders, 33 percent of high school sophomores, and 47 percent of high school seniors report recent drinking of alcoholic beverages; Whereas in a 2003 survey of such drinkers ages 10 to 18, 65 percent said they got the alcohol from family members or friends--some took alcohol from their home or a friend's home without permission, and in other cases adults, siblings, or friends provided the alcohol; Whereas the Surgeon General issued a national Call to Action against underage drinking in March 2007, asking Americans to do more to stop current underage drinkers from using alcohol and to keep other youth from starting to drink alcohol before the age of 21; Whereas the Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free initiative is a coalition of Governors' spouses, Federal agencies, and public and private organizations which specifically targets prevention of drinking in the 9- to 15- year-old age group; Whereas the National Alliance to Prevent Underage Drinking is a coalition of public health, law enforcement, religious, treatment and prevention, and other organizations with the goal of supporting and promoting implementation of a comprehensive strategy to reduce underage drinking; Whereas the best protections against underage drinking are comprehensive prevention and enforcement strategies that include educating parents and members of the community; Whereas beverage alcohol is a unique product and is regulated in such a way as to encourage social responsibility; Whereas parents should be encouraged to talk to their children about the dangers of underage drinking; Whereas the goal of the We Don't Serve Teens campaign is to educate parents and community leaders about effective ways of reducing underage drinking; Whereas the Federal Trade Commission has partnered with other Government entities, members of the beverage alcohol industry, and members of the advocacy community to educate the public on the dangers of underage drinking; Whereas the Federal Trade Commission has created a Web site, www.dontserveteens.gov, as a resource for parents, educators, and community leaders concerned with underage drinking; Whereas Congress has demonstrated its commitment to the prevention of underage drinking by enacting the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP), which recognizes that the continued State regulation of all three tiers of the beverage alcohol industry (manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer), as well as of the sale, distribution, transportation, and importation of alcohol is critical to preventing access to alcohol by persons under 21 years of age; and Whereas the We Don't Serve Teens campaign seeks to unite State officials, business leaders, parents, community leaders, and all three tiers of the beverage alcohol industry in fighting underage drinking, and unites all those participants in a concerted effort to protect America's youth: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) supports the goals and ideals of campaigns working to improve long-term public health and well being, including campaigns that work to prevent underage drinking of alcoholic beverages, such as the We don't Serve Teens Campaign; (2) encourages Americans to utilize resources, including the Web site of the Federal Trade Commission at www.dontserveteens.gov and the Web site of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at www.alcoholfreekids.org, that provide a wealth of information beneficial to combating and reducing such underage drinking; and (3) commends the leadership and continuing efforts of all groups working to reduce such underage drinking, including the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Health and Human Services, State and local officials, law enforcement, public health organizations, community groups, and the beverage alcohol industry. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey. General Leave Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New Jersey? There was no objection. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1042, supporting the We Don't Serve Teens Campaign. Underage drinking is an ongoing problem in our country, as over half of high school seniors drink alcoholic beverages, while more than a quarter of them engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking at a young age is an especially troubling activity, as those teens are more susceptible to both alcohol addiction and dependence. Besides binge drinking, teens who drink are more likely to engage in other risky behavior, including smoking, having sex without birth control, and drinking and driving. This last behavior should be a particular concern to everyone as the combination of inexperience behind the wheel and alcohol often results in a deadly conclusion. Currently, car crashes rank as the leading cause of death among individuals ages 15 to 20. We must all work to prevent such tragedies from occurring. The resolution before us supports the goals and ideals of campaigns working to improve long-term health, encourages Americans to use resources to help combat underage drinking, and commends organizations that are already working to reduce underage drinking. I want to thank my colleague, Representative Bono Mack, for her leadership on this resolution. It's an important issue to address. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in support of its adoption. I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I will yield myself such time as I may consume. And I do rise in support of House Resolution 1042. Since Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age in 1984, teen drinking rates have dropped; 25 percent fewer high school seniors drink than in 1983. But despite these gains, many teens still drink, and when they do, it can be to excess, with 25 percent of seniors reporting binge drinking. Mr. Speaker, adolescent years can be fraught with peril. It is said that being a teenager is risky business. Adding alcohol to the mix can compound the difficulties, and especially when driving, being behind the wheel of a car. Drunk driving is the leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 20. These crashes claim and kill almost 2,000 teenagers each year; and in 65 percent of them, the kids got the alcohol without permission from family or friends. The best protections against underage drinking are prevention and enforcement strategies by parents and members of the community. Parents should take the time to discuss with their children the dangers of underage drinking, and can use the Federal Trade Commission's Web site as a resource for parents, educators and community leaders concerned about underage drinking. The We Don't Serve Teens campaign has worked to unite State officials, business leaders, parents and all three tiers of the beverage alcohol industry in fighting underage drinking, and unites all of those participants in a concerted effort to protect America's youth. I do want to thank the sponsor of the resolution, Mrs. Bono Mack of California, for raising public awareness and her continued effort to reduce underage drinking. I encourage all of my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution. Having no additional requests for time on my side, I will yield back the balance of my time. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard). Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1042, which supports the We Don't Serve Teens campaign. I commend my California colleague, Mary Bono Mack, for her leadership in [[Page 20299]] offering this resolution, and for highlighting the public health crisis of underage drinking in our country. This crisis is real, and the impact on the health and safety of our children is profound. During the 10 years I've been working on this issue, one thing has been made perfectly clear: underage drinking and its serious consequences are not inevitable. From research, we know that parents are the leading influence over their children's decision to drink or not drink alcohol. Simply stated, when parents talk, kids really do listen. Unfortunately, many parents under estimate the problem of underage drinking in their communities and therefore do not talk to their children about the dangers of alcohol consumption. The facts are, however, that each year, 10.8 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 20 report illegal alcohol consumption. This number includes 41 percent of 8th grade students, 62 percent of 10th grade students, and 73 percent of 12th graders. State officials, business leaders, parents and community leaders can also make a difference. When they come together to fight this public health crisis, it is possible to reduce the terrible toll underage drinking has on our youth. The We Don't Serve Teens Campaign will help us reach that goal. From my personal experience in my own district, I can attest to how highly successful the program is in educating parents and their children about the dangers of underage drinking. Last fall I worked with the Century Council and the Federal Trade Commission to bring this important public safety campaign to Los Angeles during National We Don't Serve Teens Week. The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers Association and the California Highway Patrol joined us in sending a strong message to retailers, parents and adults that providing alcohol to any person under the age of 21 is unsafe, irresponsible, and illegal. I was privileged to host this important campaign in my district, and I am honored to support this resolution today. I hope that passage of this resolution will encourage others to become more actively involved in the fight against underage drinking. By working together to reduce underage drinking, we will provide a safer and healthier future for our children. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H. Res. 1042 and to do what they can in their communities to get the message out. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, I would urge passage of this resolution relative to underage drinking, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1042, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________