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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2906 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2906

To amend the Public Health Service Act to specifically include problem 
and pathological gambling in programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental 
 Health Services Administration and to establish a national program to 
         address the harmful consequences of problem gambling.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 16, 2009

   Mr. Moran of Virginia (for himself, Mr. Terry, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. 
   Berman) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to specifically include problem 
and pathological gambling in programs of the Substance Abuse and Mental 
 Health Services Administration and to establish a national program to 
         address the harmful consequences of problem gambling.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Comprehensive Problem Gambling Act 
of 2009''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Problem gambling is a public health disorder 
        characterized by increasing preoccupation with gambling, loss 
        of control, restlessness or irritability when attempting to 
        stop, and continuation of the gambling behavior in spite of 
        mounting, serious, negative consequences.
            (2) Over 6,000,000 adults met criteria for a gambling 
        problem last year.
            (3) The estimated social cost to families and communities 
        from bankruptcy, divorce, job loss, and criminal justice costs 
        associated with problem gambling was $6,700,000,000 last year.
            (4) Problem gambling is associated with higher incidence of 
        bankruptcy, domestic abuse, and suicide.
            (5) Problem gamblers have high rates of co-occurring 
        substance abuse and mental health disorders.
            (6) In response to current budget shortfalls, many States 
        are considering or have enacted legislation to expand legal 
        gambling activities with the intent of raising State revenues.
            (7) The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
        Administration (SAMHSA) is the lead Federal agency for 
        substance abuse and mental health services.
            (8) There are no agencies or individuals in the Federal 
        Government with a formal responsibility for problem gambling.

SEC. 3. INCLUSION OF GAMBLING IN SAMHSA AUTHORITIES.

    Section 501(d) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
290aa(d)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (17);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (18) and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(19) establish and implement programs for the 
        identification, prevention, and treatment of problem and 
        pathological gambling.''.

SEC. 4. PUBLIC AWARENESS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in 
this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall carry out a national 
campaign to increase knowledge and raise awareness with respect to 
problem gambling issues within the general public, including supporting 
and augmenting existing national campaigns and the production and 
placement of public service announcements.
    (b) Voluntary Donations.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall--
            (1) administer and coordinate the voluntary donation of 
        resources to assist in the implementation of new programs and 
        the augmentation of existing national campaigns to provide 
        national strategies for dissemination of information intended 
        to address problem gambling from--
                    (A) the television, radio, motion picture, cable 
                communications, and print media;
                    (B) the advertising industry;
                    (C) the business sector of the United States; and
                    (D) professional sports organizations and 
                associations; and
            (2) encourage media outlets throughout the country to 
        provide information aimed at preventing problem gambling, 
        including public service announcements, documentary films, and 
        advertisements.
    (c) Focus.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
target radio and television audiences of, but not limited to, sporting 
and gambling events.
    (d) Evaluation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall evaluate and report to the President and to the Congress on the 
effectiveness of activities under this section.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $200,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

SEC. 5. RESEARCH.

    (a) In General.--The President shall establish and implement a 
national program of research on problem gambling.
    (b) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the President 
shall appoint an advisory commission, including individuals not 
currently employed by the Federal Government, to coordinate the 
activities of Federal agencies relating to research on problem 
gambling, including the activities of the National Institutes of 
Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of 
Justice, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the Substance Abuse and 
Mental Health Services Administration.
    (c) National Gambling Impact Study Commission Report.--In carrying 
out this section, the President shall consider the recommendations that 
appear in chapter 8 of the June 18, 1999, report of the National 
Gambling Impact Study Commission.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of carrying 
out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $4,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

SEC. 6. TREATMENT.

    (a) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary may make grants to States, 
        local, and tribal governments, and nonprofit agencies to 
        provide comprehensive services with respect to treatment and 
        prevention of problem gambling issues and education about 
        problem gambling issues.
            (2) Application for grant.--A grant may be made under 
        paragraph (1) only if an application for the grant is submitted 
        to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made 
        in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and 
        information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to 
        carry out this subsection.
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of 
        carrying out this subsection, there is authorized to be 
        appropriated $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 
        2014.
    (b) Treatment Improvement Protocol.--The President, acting through 
the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration, shall develop a treatment improvement protocol specific 
to problem gambling.

SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that every State should contribute 
a percentage of its revenue from gambling towards prevention and 
treatment of problem gambling and towards research services and 
education about problem gambling.
                                 <all>
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