Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1979
PL 96-180 (S.440), enacted 01/02/1980

PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2, 1980 
93 STAT. 1301 
Public Law 96-180 
96th Congress 
An Act 
To revise and extend the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, 
Treatment, and Rehabilitation Act of 1970. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of 
America in Congress assembled. 
SECTION 1. (a) This Act may be cited as the "Comprehensive Alcohol 
Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation 
Act Amendments of 1979". 
(b) Whenever in this Act (other than in section 13) an amendment 
or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a 
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be 
made to a section or other provision of the Comprehensive Alcohol 
Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation 
Act of 1970. 
SEC. 2. (a) Paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 2(a) (42 U.S.C. 4541(a)) 
are amended to read as follows: 
"(2) approximately ten million, or 7 percent, of the adults in 
the United States are alcohoUcs or problem drinkers; 
"(3) it is estimated that alcoholism and other alcohol related 
problems cost the United States over $43,000,000,000 annually in 
lost production, medical and public assistance expenditures, 
police and court costs, and motor vehicle and other accidents;". 
O
t
>
) Section 2(a) is further amended— 
(1) by striking out "; and" at the end of paragraph (6) and 
inserting in lieu thereof "and contributes to domestic violence;"; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8) and amend-
ing it to read as follows: 
"(8) alcoholism is an illness requiring treatment and rehabili-
tation through the assistance of a broad range of community 
health and social services and with the cooperation of law 
enforcement agencies, emplo:^ers, employee associations, and 
associations of 
concerned individuals."; ana 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following paragraph: 
"(7) alcohol abuse and alcoholism, together with abuse of other 
legal and illegal drugs, present a need for prevention and 
intervention programs designed to reach the general population 
and members of high risk populations such as youth, women, the 
elderly, and families of alcohol abusers and alcoholics; and". 
(c) Section 2(b) is amended— 
(1) by striking out "and" at the end of the paragraph (2); 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (5); and 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following new 
paragraphs: 
"(3) the development and encouragement of prevention pro-
grams designed to combat the spread of alcoholism, alcohol 
abuse, and abuse of 
other legal and illegal drugs; 
"(4) the development and encouragement of effective occupa-
tional prevention and treatment programs within government 
and in cooperation with the private sector; and". 
Jan. 2,1980 
[S. 440] 
Comprehensive 
Alcohol Abuse 
and Alcoholism 
Prevention, 
Treatment, and 
Rehabilitation 
Act Amendments 
of 1979. 
42 u s e 4541 
note. 
42 u s e 4541 
note. 
92 Stat. 3437. 
93 STAT. 1302 
PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2,1980 
Underserved 
areas, 
program 
development. 
Report to 
President 
and Congress. 
42 u s e 4553. 
5 u s e 7101. 
Model programs, 
42 u s e 4573. 
Cooperative 
agreements. 
SEC. 3. Section 101 (42 U.S.C. 4551) is amended by adding at the end 
thereof the following new subsection: 
"(dXD The Director shall make special efforts to develop and 
coordinate prevention, treatment, research, and administrative 
policies and programs which focus on the needs of underserved 
populations. 
"(2) The Secretary shall include in the annual report to the 
President and the CJongress required by section 102(1) a description of 
the actions taken by the Director under paragraph (1).". 
SEC. 4. (a) Section 102(1) (42 U.S.C. 4552(1)) is amended by mserting 
after "expenditures of funds," the following: "a description, prepared 
in consultation with the committee established under section 103, of 
the extent to which Federal programs and departments are con-
cerned and dealing effectively with the problems of 
alcohol abuse and 
alcoholism,". 
O
t
)
) Section 102 is amended— 
(1) by inserting "and" at the end of 
paragraph (3), 
(2) by striking out "; and" at the end of paragraph (4) and 
inserting in lieu thereof a period, and 
(3) by striking out paragraph (5) and the last sentence. 
SEC. 5. Section 103(b)(1) (42 U.S.C. 45530bXl)) is amended by insert-
ing ", the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Labor, the 
Department of Education" after "the Department of Defense". 
SEC. 6. (a) Section 201(a) (42 U.S.C. 4561(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking out "Civil Service Commission" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "Office of Personnel Management"; 
(2) by inserting "and in accordance with the provisions of 
subpart F of part III of title 5, United States Code," following 
"other Federal agencies and departments,"; and 
(3) by inserting "Such agencies and departments are encour-
aged to extend, to the extent feasible, these programs and 
services to the families of alcoholic employees and to employees 
who have family members who are alcoholics." before the last 
sentence. 
O
b
X
D Section 201(b) is amended to read as follows: 
"(bXD The Secretary, acting through the Institute, shall be respon-
sible for fostering and encouraging similar alcohol abuse and alcohol-
ism prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation programs and services 
in State and local governments and in private industry. To the extent 
feasible, such programs and services should be designed such that 
thejr apply to the families of employees and to employees who have 
family members who are alcoholics. 
"(2XA) Consistent with such responsibility, the Secretary, acting 
through the Institute, shall develop a variety of model programs 
suitable for replication on a cost-effective basis in different types of 
business concerns and State and local governmental entities. 
"(B) The Secretary, acting through the Institute, shall disseminate 
information and materials relative to such model programs to single 
State agencies designated pursuant to section 303 of this Act, and 
shall, to the extent feasible, provide technical assistance to such 
agencies as requested. 
"(3) Model programs developed under paragraph (2) shall, in the 
case of business concerns and governmental entities which employ 
individuals represented by labor organizations, be designed for imple-
mentation through cooperative agreements between the concerns 
£md entities and the organizations. 
"(4) To the extent feasible, model programs developed under 
paragraph (2) shall be capable of coordination with model programs 
PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2, 1980 
93 STAT. 1303 
by striking out 
in lieu thereof 
developed pursuant to section 413(b) of the Drug Abuse OfRce and 
Treatment Act of 1972.". 
(2)(A) The heading for title 11 is amended by striking out 
"FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"GOVERNMENT AND OTHER EMPLOYEES". 
(B) The heading for section 201 is amended 
"FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES" and inserting 
"GOVERNMENT AND OTHER EMPLOYEES". 
SEC. 7. Section 301 (42 U.S.C. 4571) is amended— 
(1) by striking out "and" after "1978,", and 
(2) by mserting after "1979," the following: "$60,000,000 for the 
fiscal year ending September 30, 1980, and $65,000,000 for the 
fiscal year ending September 30,1981,". 
SEC. 8. Section 302 (42 U.S.C. 4572) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
"(e) On the request of any State, the Secretary shall, to the extent 
feasible, make available technical assistance for the purposes of 
developing and improving systems for data collection; program man-
agement, accountability, and evaluation; certification, accreditation, 
or licensure of treatment facilities and personnel; monitoring compli-
ance mth the requirements of section 321 by hospitals and other 
facilities; and eliminating exclusions in health insurance coverage 
offered in the State which are based on alcoholism or alcohol abuse. 
Insofar as practicable, such technical assistance shall be provided in 
such a manner as to improve coordination between acti'/ities funded 
under this Act and under the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act 
of 1972.". 
SEC. 9. (a) Section 303(a) (42 U.S.C. 4573(a)) is amended— 
(1) by inserting ", women, and the elderly" after "minority and 
poverty groups" in paragraph (3); 
(2) by inserting ", by the elderly," after "by women" in 
paragraph (4XB); 
(3) by inserting before the semicolon at the end of 
paragraph (4) 
the following: "; and (C) provide assurances satisfactory to the 
Secretary that, insofar as practicable, the survey conducted 
pursuant to clause (A) is coordinated with and not duplicative of 
the drug abuse and dependence survey conducted pursuant to 
section 409 of 
the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972"; 
(4) by inserting ", with State and local drug abuse planning 
£^encies," after alcoholism and alcohol abuse planning agen-
cies" in paragraph (12); and 
(5) by striking out "and" at the end of paragraph (15), by 
redesignating paragraph (16) as paragraph (17), and by inserting 
after paragraph (15) the following new paragraph: 
"(16) provide assurance that the State agency— 
"(A) will foster and encourage the development of alcohol 
abuse and alcoholism prevention, treatment, and rehabilita-
tion programs and services in State and local governments 
and in private businesses and industry; 
"(B) will make available to all business concerns and 
governmental entities within such State information and 
materials concerning such model programs suitable for 
replication on a cost-efTective basis as are developed pursu-
ant to section 2010>) of 
this Act; and 
"(C) will furnish technical assistance as feasible to such 
business concerns and governmental entities; and", 
(b) Section 303(c) is amended by inserting after "implementation of 
its State plan" the following: "and a plan of action for the next three 
21 use 1180. 
42 use 4561. 
Federal 
technical 
assistance. 
42 use 4581. 
21 use 1101 
note. 
21 use 1176. 
State agency 
responsibilities. 
Ante, p. 1302. 
93 STAT. 1304 
PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2,1980 
Survey. 
Program and 
project 
applications. 
years. To the extent feasible the report shall include a survey of the 
extent to which other State programs and political subdivisions 
throughout the State are dealing effectively with the problems 
related to alcohol abuse and alcoholism.". 
SEC. 10. Section 310(a) (42 U.S.C. 4576(a)) is amended by striking out 
"1979" and inserting in lieu thereof "1981". 
SEC. 11. (a) Section 311(a) (42 U.S.C. 4577(a)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) as para-
graphs (2), (3), (4), and (5), respectively; 
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) the 
following new paragraph: 
"(1) to conduct demonstration and evaluation projects, with a 
high priority on prevention and early intervention projects in 
occupational and educational settings and on modified commu-
nity living and work-care arrangements such as halfway houses, 
recovery homes, and supervised home care,"; 
(3) by striking out "conduct demonstration and evaluation 
projects, including projects designed to develop" in paragraph (2) 
(as so redesignated) and inserting in lieu thereof "support proj-
ects of a demonstrable value in developing"; and 
(4) by striking out "female alcoholics, and individuals in 
geographic areas where such services are not otherwise ade-
quately available" in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated) and 
inserting in lieu thereof "the elderly, women, the handicapped, 
families of alcoholics, and victims of alcohol-related domestic 
violence". 
Ot)) Section 3110)) is amended (1) by redesignating clauses (1), (2), 
and (3) as clauses (2), (3), and (4), respectively, and by inserting after 
"under this section shall" the following: "(1) be responsive to special 
requirements of handicapped individuals in receiving such services;", 
and (2) by inserting in clause (2) (as so redesignated) the following: 
"(in the C£ise of prevention and treatment services)" after "seek", 
(c) Paragraph (4) of section 311(c) is amended to read as follows: 
"(4) The Secretary shall encourage the submission of and give 
special consideration to applications under this section for programs 
and projects— 
"(A) for the prevention and treatment of alcohol abuse and 
alcoholism by women, 
"(B) for the prevention and treatment of alcohol abuse and 
alcoholism by the elderly, 
"(C) for the prevention and treatment of alcohol abuse and 
alcoholism by individuals under the age of eighteen.". 
SEC. 12. Section 312 (42 U.S.C. 4578) is amended— 
(1) by striking out "and" after "1978,", and 
(2) by striking out the period and inserting in lieu thereof a 
comma and the following: "$102,500,000 for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 1980, and $115,000,000 for the fiscal year 
ending September 30,1981. Of the funds appropriated under this 
section for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1980, at least 8 
percent of the funds shall be obligated for grants for projects, 
programs, and services to prevent (through outreach, interven-
tion, and education) the occurrence of alcoholism and alcohol 
abuse; and of the funds appropriated under this section for the 
next fiscal year at least 10 percent of the funds shall be obligated 
for such grants.". 
SEC. 13. Section 217(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
218(a)) is amended by inserting after the fourth sentence the follow-
PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2, 1980 
93 STAT. 1305 
ing: "Appointed members may serve after the expiration of their 
terms until their successors have taken office.". 
SEC. 14. (a) Section 501(a) (42 U.S.C. 4591(a)) is amended to read as 42 use 4585. 
follows: 
"(a) The Secretary, acting through the Institute, shall carry out a Research 
program of research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, Programs. 
and studies, directly and by grant or contract, into— 
"(1) the social, behavioral, and biomedical etiology, 
"(2) prevention, 
"(3) treatment, 
"(4) mental and physical health consequences, 
"(5) social and economic consequences, and 
"(6) the impact on families, 
of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.", 
(b) Section 501(b) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), by inserting before the semicolon the 
following: "and such Council shall give special consideration to 
projects relating to the relationship between alcohol abuse and 
domestic violence, the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy, 
the relationship between the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, 
and the effect on the incidence of alcohol abuse and alcoholism of 
social pressures, legal requirements respecting the use of alco-
holic beverages, the cost of such beverages, and the economic 
status and education of users of such beverages"; 
(2) in paragraph (5)— 
(A) by inserting "the National Institute of Drug Abuse and 
by" following "similar programs conducted by"; and 
(B) by inserting "departments," before "agencies"; 
(3) in paragraph (6), by striking out "biomedical and behav-
ioral" and inserting in lieu thereof "biomedical, behavioral, 
epidemiological, and social"; and 
(4) in paragraph (8), by inserting "and other scientific 
research" following "statistical". 
SEC. 15. Section 503 (42 U.S.C. 4587) is amended— 
(1) by striking out "and" after "1978,", and 
(2) by inserting before the period a comma and the following: 
"$28,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1980, and 
$28,000,000 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1981". 
SEC. 16. (a) Section 504(a) (42 U.S.C. 4588(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking out "alcohol problems" in the first sentence and 
inserting in lieu thereof "biomedical, behavioral, and social 
issues related to alcoholism and alcohol abuse"; 
(2) in paragraph (IXB), by striking out "laboratory facilities 
and reference services (including reference services that will 
afford access to scientific alcohol literature)" and inserting in 
lieu thereof "facilities (including laboratory, reference, and data 
analysis facilities) to carry out the research plan contained in the 
application"; 
(3) in paragraph dXD), by striking out "and' at the end thereof; 
(4) in paragraph (IXE), by striking out "medical and oste-
opathic students and physicians;" and inserting in lieu thereof 
"medical and osteopathic, nursing, social work, and other spe-
cialized graduate students; and"; and 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (IXE) the following: 
"(F) the applicant h£is the capacity to conduct programs of 
continuing education in such medical, legal, and social 
service fields as the Secretary may require.". 
93 STAT. 1306 
PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2, 1980 
42 use 4588. 
Contract 
authority. 
42 use 4594. 
National 
eommission on 
Alcoholism and 
Other Alcohol-
Related 
Problems, 
establishment. 
42 use 4541 
note. 
Quorum. 
(b) Section 504(b) is amended by striking out "$1,000,000" and 
inserting in lieu thereof "$1,500,000^'. 
(c) Section 504(c) is amended bv inserting before the period a 
comma and the following: "$8,000,000 for the fiscal year ending 
September 30,1980, and $9,000,000 for the fiscal year endmg Septem-
ber 30,1981". 
SEC. 17. Title VI is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section: 
"SEC. 604. The authority of the Secretary to enter into contracts 
under this Act shall be effective for any fiscal year only to such extent 
or in such amounts as are provided in advance by appropriation 
Acts.". 
SEC. 18. (aXD There is established a Ck)mmission to be known as the 
National Commission on Alcoholism and Other Alcohol-Related 
Problems (hereinafter in this section referred to as the "Commis-
sion"). The Commission shall be composed o
f
— 
(A) four Members of the Senate appointed by the President of 
the Senate upon the recommendation of the msg'ority and minor-
ity leaders; 
(B) four Members of 
the House of Representatives appointed by 
the Speaker of 
the House of 
Representatives upon the recommen-
dation of 
the majority and minority leaders; 
(C) nine pubUc members appointed by the President; and 
(D) not more than four nonvoting members appointed by the 
President from individuals employed in the administration of 
programs of the Federal Government which affect the preven-
tion and treatment of alcoholism and the rehabilitation of 
alcoholics and alcohol abusers. 
At no time shall more than two members appointed under subpara-
graph (A), more that two of the members appointed under subpara-
graph (B), or more than five of the members appointed under 
subparagraph (C) be members of 
the same political party. 
(2XA) The President shall designate one of the members of the 
Commission as Chairman, and one as Vice Chairman. Nine members 
of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number 
may conduct hearings. Members appointed under paragraph (1)(D) 
shml not be consideiid in determining a quorum of the Commission. 
(B) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, 
but shall be reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and other necessary 
expenses incurred in the performance of the duties vested in the 
Commission. 
(C) The Commission shall meet at the call of 
the Chairman or at the 
call of 
the msgority of 
the members thereof. 
(3XA) The Commission may appoint, without regard to the provi-
sions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the 
competitive service, an executive secretary to assist the Commission 
in canying out its functions. 
(B) The Secretary shall provide the Commission with such addi-
tional professional and clerical staff, such information, and the 
services of such consultants as the Secretary determines necessary 
for the Commission to carry out effectively its functions. 
(C) The Commission may secure directly from any department or 
agency of the United States information necessary to enable it to 
carry out its duties under this section. Upon request of the Chairman 
of the Commission, the head of such department or agency shall 
furnish such information to the Commission consistent with applica-
ble laws and regulations with respect to the privacy of medical 
records. 
PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2,1980 
93 STAT. 1307 
(b) The Commission shall conduct a study of alcoholism and 
alcohol-related problems and shall include in the study-
C
D an assessment of unm.et treatment and rehabilitation needs 
of 
alcoholics and their families; 
(2) an assessment of personnel needs in the fields of research, 
treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention; 
(3) an assessment of the integi'ation and financing of alcohol-
ism treatment and rehabilitation into health and social health 
care services within communities; 
(4) a study of the relationship of alcohol use to aggressive 
behavior and crime; 
(5) a study of the relationship of alcohol use to family violence; 
(6) a study of the relationship of alcoholism to illnesses, 
particularly those illnesses with a high stress component, among 
family members of 
alcoholics; 
(7) an evaluation of the effectiveness of prevention programs, 
including the relevance of 
alcohol control laws and regulations to 
alcoholism and alcohol-related problems; 
(8) a survey of the unmet research needs in the area of 
alcoholism and alcohol-related problems; 
(9) a survey of the prevalence of occupational alcoholism and 
alcohol abuse programs offered by Federal contractors; and 
(10) an evaluation of the needs of special and underserved 
population groups, including American Indians, Alaskan 
Natives, youth, the elderly, women, and the handicapped and 
assess the adequacy of existing services to fulfill such needs. 
(c) The Commission shall submit to the President and the Congress 
such interim reports as it deems advisable and shall within two years 
after the date on which funds first become available to carry out this 
section submit to the President and the Congress a final report which 
shall contain a detailed statement of its findings and conclusions and 
also such recommendations for legislation and administrative actions 
as it deems appropriate. The Commission shall cease to exist sixty 
days after the final report is submitted under this subsection. 
(d) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall be 
responsible for the coordination of the activities of the Commission. 
(e) There are authorized to be appropriated for the purposes of this 
section $1,000,000 to remain available until the expiration of the 
Commission. 
SEC. 19. Title III is amended by adding at the end the following: 
"PART D—REPORT 
Study. 
Reports to 
President 
and Congress. 
Appropriation 
authorization. 
REPORT 
"SEC. 334. (a) Not later than June 1,1980, the Secretary of Health, 
Education, and Welfare, acting through the Assistant Secretary for 
Health, and the Secretary of the ISreasury, acting through the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Operations, shall jointly 
report to the President and the Congress— 
"(1) the extent and nature of birth defects associated with 
alcohol consumption by pregnant women, 
"(2) the extent and nature of other health hazards associated 
with alcoholic beverages, and 
"(3) the actions which should be taken by the Federal Govern-
ment under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act and the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to informing 
the general public oif such health hazards. 
Submittal to 
President and 
Congress. 
42 use 4552 
note. 
27 use 201. 
21 use 301. 
93 STAT. 1308 
PUBLIC LAW 96-180—JAN. 2, 1980 
"(b) Subsection (a) shall not be construed to limit the authority of 
the Attorney General, the Secretary of the Treasury, or the Secretary 
of Health, Education, and Welfare under the Federal Alcohol Admin-
2
7 use 201. 
istration Act or the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.". 
21 u s e 301. 
Approved January 2, 1980. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: 
HOUSE REPORT No. 96-193 accompanying H.R. 8916 (Comm. on Interstate and 
Foreign Commerce). 
SENATE REPORT No. 96-103 (Comm. on Labor and Human Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 125 (1979): 
May 7, considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 16, H.R. 3916 considered and passed House; passage vacated and S. 440, 
amended, passed in lieu. 
Dec. 19, Senate concurred in House amendment with an amendment; House 
concurred in Senate amendment.