I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3175

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for an increase in

the amount of Federal funds expended to conduct research on alcohol

abuse and alcoholism among women.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 27, 1996

Mrs. MORELLA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Commerce

A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for

an increase in the amount of Federal funds expended

to conduct research on alcohol abuse and alcoholism

among women.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Women and Alcohol

5 Research Equity Act of 1996’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

7 The Congress finds as follows with respect to the

8 United States:
2

•HR 3175 IH

1 (1) One of every 4 alcoholics receiving treat2 ment is a woman.

3 (2) In fiscal year 1995, the National Institute

4 on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism had a total re5 search budget of $191,186,000, and $43,997,080 of

6 the budget (approximately 23 percent) was available

7 for research on alcohol abuse and alcoholism among

8 women. There are selected areas where alcohol con9 tributes to a more rapid and severe development of

10 disease in women than in men, and research on

11 women exclusively in these areas is important.

12 (3) According to data collected during the years

13 1980 through 1993 (in the survey known as the Na14 tional Drug and Alcoholism Treatment Unit Sur15 vey), women represent approximately 30 percent of

16 the clients presenting for alcohol problems in tradi17 tional public treatment facilities. A recent study has

18 shown that women are more likely than men to use

19 nontraditional health care systems for alcohol-related

20 problems. No data exists to count women in non21 traditional treatment settings; therefore, it is not

22 possible to know whether women are overrepresented

23 or underrepresented in all treatment settings in pro24 portion to their numbers (30 percent).
3

•HR 3175 IH

1 (4) Alcohol use by pregnant women is the lead2 ing known cause of mental retardation in newborns.

3 Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is marked by

4 dysfunction of the central nervous system and by

5 prenatal and postnatal growth deficiency and facial

6 malformations, strikes 1 to 3 out of every 1,000

7 newborns, or 3,600 to 10,000 babies a year, depend8 ing upon the national birth-rate. The incidence of

9 less severe fetal alcohol effects (FAE) is at least 3

10 times that of fetal alcohol syndrome. For Black

11 Americans, the risk of FAS remains about sevenfold

12 higher than for whites, even after adjustment for the

13 frequency of maternal alcohol intake, occurrence of

14 chronic alcohol problems, and parity. Among Native

15 Americans, the incidence of FAS varies among dif16 ferent cultures; some are similar to the overall U.S.

17 population, while a much higher prevalence is re18 ported for others. Research is also needed on the

19 male contribution to birth abnormalities related to

20 alcohol.

21 (5) Most treatment programs do not provide

22 child care or adequate alternatives for women enter23 ing treatment.

24 (6) The death rate of female alcoholics is 50 to

25 100 percent higher than for male alcoholics. Propor-
4

•HR 3175 IH

1 tionately more alcoholic women die of cirrhosis of

2 the liver than do alcoholic men. Additionally, the

3 combined effects of estrogen and alcohol may impact

4 not only liver damage but osteoporosis as well.

5 (7) The interval between onset of drinking-re6 lated problems and entry into treatment appears to

7 be shorter for women than for men. Further, studies

8 of women alcoholics in treatment suggest that they

9 often experience greater physiological impairment

10 earlier in their drinking careers, despite having

11 consumed less alcohol than men. These findings sug12 gest that the development of consequences associated

13 with heavy drinking may be accelerated or ‘‘tele14 scoped’’ in women.

15 (8) Women become intoxicated faster than men.

16 This may be due to a different enzyme and hor17 monal activity in women than in women.

18 (9) Chronic, heavy drinking contributes to men19 strual disorders, fertility problems, and premature

20 menopause.

21 (10) Alcohol use may be associated with an in22 creased risk of breast cancer. Research indicates

23 that the incidence of breast cancer increases when a

24 woman consumes 1 ounce or more of absolute alco25 hol daily.
5

•HR 3175 IH

1 (11) The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse

2 and Alcoholism has identified areas for future re3 search on alcohol abuse and alcoholism among

4 women. As a result of stimulating research applica5 tions during the years 1993 through 1995, such In6 stitute’s portfolio on women and children has in7 creased by $17,997,000, or more than 69 percent,

8 over the fiscal year 1992 base of $26,000,000.

9 SEC. 3. PROVISIONS REGARDING INCREASE IN AMOUNT OF

10 FUNDS EXPENDED FOR RESEARCH ON ALCO11 HOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM AMONG

12 WOMEN.

13 Section 464H(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42

14 U.S.C. 285n(d)) is amended by adding at the end the fol15 lowing paragraph:

16 ‘‘(3) WOMEN’S HEALTH.—

17 ‘‘(A) For fiscal year 1997, of the first

18 $191,186,000 appropriated under paragraph

19 (1), the Director of the Institute shall obligate

20 not less than $43,997,080 for the purpose of

21 carrying out under this subpart projects of re22 search on alcohol abuse and alcoholism among

23 women.

24 ‘‘(B) In addition to the authorization of

25 appropriations established in paragraph (1),
6

•HR 3175 IH

1 there are authorized to be appropriated for car2 rying out the purpose specified in subparagraph

3 (A) $25,000,000 for fiscal year 1997, and such

4 sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal

5 years 1998 and 1999.’’.

Æ