Washington, D.C. - Following this week's final passage in Congress, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard's national legislation to curb underage drinking heads to the White House where the President is expected to sign the measure into law.

"I thank my colleagues in the U.S. Senate, especially Senators Dodd and DeWine, whose hard work championing "The STOP (Sober Truth on Preventing) Underage Drinking Act" directly led to its final passage this week.  They, along with my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives who initially passed the measure on November 14, are truly to be commended for their dedication and commitment to addressing the public health crisis of underage drinking in our country," Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said.  "Through the hard-hitting public service ads funded under the measure, parents will get a strong and effective message about the dangers of underage drinking."
 
The bipartisan STOP Act initially passed the U.S. House of Representatives on November 14 by a vote of 373 to 23.  The U.S. Senate passed the STOP Act this week on Wednesday (12/06/06) by unanimous consent.  The slightly amended measure was finalized in the House today (12/07/06) by voice vote and now heads to the White House where the President is expected to sign the STOP Act into law in the near future.

Congresswoman Roybal-Allard is the author of "The STOP (Sober Truth on Preventing) Underage Drinking Act" (HR 864).  The bill is based on a 2003 study by the National Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science.  The study found for example, that in the United States during any given month, nearly 11 million of our youth between the ages of 12 and 20 drink alcohol.  That means that by the end of today, more than five thousand of our nation's youth under the age of 16, will have taken their first drink.  Furthermore, a 2000 scientific study found that youth who drink alcohol could forget as much as 10 percent of what they learn as compared to those who do not drink. 

"When you consider the full extent of the dangers associated with drinking before the age of 21 such as car accidents, violent crime and risky sexual activity, the massive extent of this public health crisis and its tragic consequences become clear," Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard said.  "Despite these startling facts, studies have found that most parents are unaware of the prevalence of underage drinking or the risk it poses to their children."

Once signed into law, the STOP Act will coordinate all federal programs and research initiatives on underage drinking, make permanent an Ad Council national media campaign directed at parents that started last year, and provide grants to institutions of higher education, states and non-profit organizations to combat underage drinking in communities.  The STOP Act will also support crucial research on the health effects of underage drinking and require the federal government to produce an annual status report on underage drinking in our country.

The bipartisan STOP Act  is also sponsored by Representatives Tom Osborne (R-NE), Frank Wolf (R-VA), Zach Wamp (R-TN) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).  U.S. Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT) introduced the identical Senate companion bill. 

The measure has been endorsed by many public health and alcohol beverage industry groups, including: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD); the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA); the American Medical Association; the Center for Science in the Public Interest; the American Public Health Association; the National Beer Wholesalers Association; the Beer Institute; the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America; the Wine Institute; the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States; the Century Council; and the Brewers Association. 

For her efforts to combat underage drinking, the congresswoman received the following honors: MADD's 2004 Congressional Excellence Award; Students Against Destructive Decisions' (SADD) 2005 National Outstanding Contribution Award; and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America's 2005 Congressional Leadership Award.