I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1170 

To address problem gambling. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2007 

Mr. MEEHAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To address problem gambling. 

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 ‘‘Comprehensive Aware5 ness of Problem Gambling Act of 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PUBLIC AWARENESS. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

8 Human Services shall carry out a national campaign to 

9 increase knowledge and raise awareness with respect to 

10 problem gambling issues within the general public, includ11 ing supporting and augmenting existing national camVerDate Aug 31 2005 03:02 Feb 22, 2007 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1170.IH H1170

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1 paigns and the production and placement of public service 

2 announcements. 

3 (b) VOLUNTARY DONATIONS.—In carrying out sub4 section (a), the Secretary of Health and Human Services 

5 shall— 

6 (1) administer and coordinate the voluntary do7 nation of resources to assist in the implementation 

8 of new programs and the augmentation of existing 

9 national campaigns to provide national strategies for 

10 dissemination of information intended to address 

11 problem gambling from— 

12 (A) the television, radio, motion picture, 

13 cable communications, and print media; 

14 (B) the advertising industry; 

15 (C) the business sector of the United 

16 States; and 

17 (D) professional sports organizations and 

18 associations; and 

19 (2) encourage media outlets throughout the 

20 country to provide information aimed at preventing 

21 problem gambling, including public service an22 nouncements, documentary films, and advertise23 ments. 

24 (c) FOCUS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the Sec25 retary of Health and Human Services shall target radio 


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1 and television audiences of sporting events and of gam2 bling. 

3 (d) EVALUATION.—In carrying out subsection (a), 

4 the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall evalu5 ate and report to the President and to Congress on the 

6 effectiveness of activities under this section. 

7 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

8 purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized 

9 to be appropriated $200,000 for each of the fiscal years 

10 2008 through 2012. 

11 SEC. 3. RESEARCH. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall establish and 

13 implement a national program of research on problem 

14 gambling. 

15 (b) COORDINATION.—In carrying out this section, the 

16 President shall appoint an advisory commission, including 

17 individuals not currently employed by the Federal Govern18 ment, to coordinate the activities of Federal agencies relat19 ing to research on problem gambling, including the activi20 ties of the National Institutes of Health, the National 

21 Science Foundation, the National Justice Institute, the 

22 Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the Substance Abuse and 

23 Mental Health Services Administration. 

24 (c) NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY COMMIS25 SION REPORT.—In carrying out this section, the President 


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1 shall consider the recommendations that appear in chapter 

2 8 of the June 18, 1999, report of the National Gambling 

3 Impact Study Commission. 

4 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 

5 purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized 

6 to be appropriated $4,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 

7 2008 through 2012. 

8 SEC. 4. TREATMENT. 

9 (a) GRANTS.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

11 Human Services may make grants to States, local 

12 governments, and non-profit agencies to provide 

13 comprehensive services with respect to treatment 

14 and prevention of problem gambling issues and edu15 cation about problem gambling issues. 

16 (2) APPLICATION FOR GRANT.—A grant may be 

17 made under paragraph (1) only if an application for 

18 the grant is submitted to the Secretary and the ap19 plication is in such form, is made in such manner, 

20 and contains such agreements, assurances, and in21 formation as the Secretary determines to be nec22 essary to carry out this subsection. 

23 (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For 

24 the purpose of carrying out this subsection, there is 


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1 authorized to be appropriated $10,000,000 for each 

2 of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012. 

3 (b) TREATMENT IMPROVEMENT PROTOCOL.—The 

4 President, acting through the Administrator of the Sub5 stance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 

6 shall develop a Treatment Improvement Protocol specific 

7 to problem gambling. 

8 SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

9 It is the sense of the Congress that every State should 

10 contribute a percentage of its revenue from gambling to11 wards prevention and treatment of problem gambling and 

12 towards research services and education about problem 

13 gambling. 

Æ 


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