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Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users

Date: March 10, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Transportation


TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT: A LEGACY FOR USERS -- (House of Representatives - March 10, 2005)

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Mr. HONDA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Chairman, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) and I offer a simple but important amendment that will make explicit the eligibility of DWI Courts for basic grant funds under section 2003 of H.R. 3, TEA-LU. Section 2003 authorizes funds for Alcohol-Impaired Driving Countermeasures.

In the year 2003, approximately 17,400 Americans were killed in alcohol-related accidents across this country. These deaths constitute 40 percent of all traffic-related facilities. Make no mistake; drunk driving is a public health crisis, and DWI Courts, which are on the front lines of the national efforts to curb drunk driving, offer a proven method of reducing recidivism rates among DWI offenders.

Unlike traditional court systems, DWI Courts hold offenders to the highest level of accountability, while providing long-term intensive treatment and compliance monitoring to address the root cause of the DWI, alcohol abuse.

DWI Courts are so successful because they draw on a diverse range of professionals, governmental agencies and community organizations. Each DWI Court judge heads a team of prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, law enforcement representatives and alcohol treatment professionals. They work in concert with each other and governmental community organizations to ensure that DWI offenders get the punishment they deserve and the treatment and services they need to be responsible members of our society. Evidence suggests that these DWI Courts are working.

Unfortunately, too few DWI Courts are taking advantage of Federal transportation dollars and section 2003 of H.R. 3 does not clearly authorize use of grant funds for these courts. Our amendment will clear up any confusion in this regard and encourage additional jurisdictions to establish their own DWI Courts.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

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