REMARKS

BY

C. EVERETT KOOP, M.D., Sc.D.

SURGEON GENERAL

OF THE

U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

PRESENTED AT THE CLOSING SESSION OF

THE SURGEON GENERAL'S WORKSHOP ON DRUNK DRIVING

‘DECEMBER 16, 1988

WASHINGTON, D.C.
_OPENING COMMENTS

EVERYTHING THAT IS PRESENTED AT THIS FINAL SESSION IS TO BE
CONSIDERED AS A PRELIMINARY REPORT. THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS
MEETING WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 15, 1989* TO ALLOW
INTERESTED PARTIES TO PRESENT IN WRITING THEIR POINTS OF VIEW TO

ME AND THE VARIOUS EXPERT PANEL CHAIRPERSONS.

THIS PRIVILEGE IS, OF COURSE, EXTENDED TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS AS

WELL.

NO FINAL REPORT OF THIS WORKSHOP WILL BE SENT TO THE PUBLISHER

BEFORE FEBRUARY 28, 1989.

IT IS MOST LIKELY THAT YOU PARTICIPANTS WILL NOT GET A PRE-

PUBLICATION DRAFT UNTIL AFTER THAT DATE. 4

YOU WILL HAVE THE PRIVILEGE LATER THIS AFTERNOON OF HEARING FROM
DIANE STEED, ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT), AND LORAN

ARCHER, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND

 

*DATE LATER REVISED TO JANUARY 31, 1989 FOR SUBMISSION OF

COMMENTS.
ALCOHOLISM (NIAAA), WHO IS SPEAKING FOR ENOCH GORDIS, DIRECTOR,
NIAAA, AND FREDERICK GOODWIN, ADMINISTRATOR, ALCOHOL, DRUG ABUSE
AND MENTAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (ADAMHA). THEY WILL SPEAK FROM
THEIR SPECIFIC POSITIONS OF EXPERTISE. I WILL THEN RESPOND TO
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SEVERAL PANELS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN

COVERED BY THEM.

AFTER THAT, I WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF HOW SO MANY PEOPLE AND
ORGANIZATIONS MOUNTED AN EFFORT TO KEEP THIS WORKSHOP FROM

HAPPENING.

AS MR. BUSH WOULD SAY "STAY TUNED." I'LL BE BACK SHORTLY.
AS SOON AS FEASIBLE, PRINTED COPIES OF THE BACKGROUND PAPERS,
SIGNIFICANT ADDENDA, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESPONSE WILL BE

AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN BOOKLET FORM.

IT HAS BEEN MY CUSTOM TO KEEP THE PARTICIPANTS AND OTHER
INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS APPRISED OF INITIATIVES
UNDERTAKEN AND OTHER ACTIVITIES 6 MONTHS AND 1 YEAR AFTER

PUBLICATION OF THE BOOKLET.
ON SELECTED SUBJECTS IN FORMER WORKSHOPS, ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS

HAVE ALSO BEEN PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS.

I CAN PERSONALLY OVERSEE THE FIRST SUCH REPORT AND WILL BE SURE
THAT THE OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL IS PREPARED TO PROVIDE

SUPPORT TO MY SUCCESSOR IN THIS REGARD.

[ BREAK FOR COMMENTS BY OTHER PRESENTERS AND PRESENTATION OF

RECOMMENDATIONS BY EXPERT PANEL CHAIRPERSONS j
CLOSING COMMENTS

I'M CERTAIN THERE ARE NO REASONABLE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT DRUNK
DRIVING SHOULD BE TOLERATED. YET PEOPLE SHY AWAY FROM ANY
DISCUSSION DEEPER THAN "ISN'T IT TERRIBLE." LEADERSHIP IS HARD
TO COME BY BECAUSE IT IS A LONELY POSITION. ALTHOUGH THIS |
WORKSHOP HAD THE ENTHUSIASTIC REPRESENTATION OF FIVE CABINET
DEPARTMENTS IN PLANNING, ONLY ONE CABINET SECRETARY - DR. OTIS

BOWEN - APPEARED AT THIS MEETING.

iT IS NEVER AN EASY ASSIGNMENT TO RESPOND TO WORKSHOP
RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THE TIME IS SHORT, THE NUMBER OF
RECOMMENDATIONS GREAT, AND THE SURGEON GENERAL HAS NEITHER BUDGET

NOR POWER - SAVE THE POWER OF MORAL SUASION.

I AM PLEASED THAT JEFF MILLER* AND LORAN ARCHER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
RESPOND TO YOUR DELIBERATIONS AND, BELIEVE ME, I AM GRATEFUL TO
THEM. THEY HAVE INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US AND YOU

HAVE HEARD WHAT A RESOURCE THEY ARE FOR YOU.

 

*JEFFREY MILLER, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC

SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, SUBSTITUTING FOR DIANE STEED.
I FIND MYSELF IN THE CLEAN-UP POSITION AND SINCE THE OTHER
RESPONDENTS AND I HAVE ALREADY CONFERRED, I WILL TRY NOT TO BE
REPETITIOUS. I SHOULD ADD THESE PAGES ARE WRITTEN IN MY OWN
ILLEGIBLE HANDWRITING AND SERVE ONLY TO REMIND ME OF WHAT I
THOUGHT DURING THE NIGHT BETWEEN CAT NAPS AND THEN LATER THIS

MORNING. SO BEAR WITH ME IF I STUMBLE!

I WILL BRIEFLY MENTION EACH PANEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN
PROCEED TO MORE GENERAL REMARKS THAT COVER ALL THE PANELS.
SINCE THE SUBJECT OF MANY OF THE PANELS ARE CROSSCUTTING,
GENERIC REMARKS COVERING ALL PANELS SEEM APPROPRIATE. AND
OBVIOUSLY I WILL PROPERLY REFER RECOMMENDATIONS WITH A NARROW

FOCUS TO APPROPRIATE AGENCIES.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

 

MR. ARCHER HAS COVERED MUCH OF THIS AND I WILL HAVE SOME FINAL

REMARKS THAT COVER ALL THE PANELS.

I SHOULD SAY WHEN RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SENT, ALL WILL BE SENT
BECAUSE OF THE OVERLAPS AND CROSSCUTTING OF SOME ISSUES AND

PANELS.
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING

 

I AM REMINDED OF THE FIRST, AND AT TIMES FALTERING, STEPS TAKEN
25 YEARS AGO IN REFERENCE TO TOBACCO ADVERTISING. I'M NOT BEING

CRITICAL; THAT'S A COMPLEMENT.

IN REFERENCE TO THE RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS YOU HAVE ALREADY
HEARD FROM MR. ARCHER, I WILL DISCUSS THEM WITH MR. ARCHER AND
DR. GORDIS OF NIAAA, AND WITH DR. FRED GOODWIN, ADMINISTRATOR OF
ADAMHA, AS WELL AS GETTING THEM EXPOSURE IN APPROPRIATE MEDIA

CATERING TO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

I WILL PRESENT THE PANEL'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO DR. JAMES MASON,
DIRECTOR OF THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL (CDC), FOR A CRITIQUE
FOR FEASIBILITY ON THE PART OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND REQUEST
THAT HE REPORT ON CURRENT AND FUTURE PLANS OF. THE CDC THAT MAY
ADDRESS SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. I WILL ALSO ASK FOR THE
COOPERATION OF THE CDC IN WIDE DISSEMINATION OF THE PANEL'S

FINDINGS.
I WILL REPORT TO THE PARTICIPANTS BY A MECHANISM PREVIOUSLY

NOTED.

EDUCATION

THIS ENDEAVOR IS PROBABLY WHERE I CAN BE MOST EFFECTIVE AND I
PLEDGE MYSELF TO THIS EFFORT BOTH NOW AS YOUR SURGEON GENERAL AND
WHEN I LEAVE THIS OFFICE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ENFORCEMENT

I WILL SEEK APPROPRIATE COUNSEL REGARDING THE BROAD DISSEMINATION
OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THOSE AGENCIES MOST LIKELY TO HAVE

RESPONSIBILITY AND/OR THE ABILITY TO ACT.

I WELCOME THE SUGGESTIONS AND ADVICE OF THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THESE

TWO PANELS.
TRANSPORTATION

I WON'T ADD TO JEFF MILLER'S PRESENTATION.

INJURY CONTROL AND TREATMENT

I WILL UNDERTAKE TO DELIVER TO ORGANIZED MEDICINE BY APPROPRIATE

MEANS

- PERSONAL AND BY TRANSMITTAL - YOUR CONCERNS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS. I WILL BE CONTACTING THESE ORGANIZATIONS EARLY

ON:

°

5

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION - ESPECIALLY THE STUDENT SECTOR
NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION - FOR SOME OF THE ETHNIC
CONSIDERATIONS

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

AMERICAN TRAUMA SOCIETY

AND OTHERS THAT WILL COME TO MIND OR BE SUGGESTED BY YOU.
YOUTH AND OTHER SPECIAL POPULATIONS

EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT THE PREVIOUS TWO PANELS APPLIES HERE BUT

APPROPRIATE CONTACT WILL BE MADE WITH:

oO NATIONAL PTA
oO NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION
° THE VARIOUS ASSOCIATIONS OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

oO AND THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

MY WORK WITH THESE GROUPS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS REGARDING AIDS

GIVES ME EASY ACCESS AND READY CREDIBILITY.

a

BUT ALSO: BOY SCOUTS, GIRL SCOUTS, CAMP FIRE GIRLS, 4-H CLUBS,

AND OTHERS.

CITIZEN ADVOCACY

 

I NOTE THE CROSSCUTTING NATURE OF THE CONCERNS OF THIS PANEL.

I WILL CONVENE A GROUP (AND WELCOME SUGGESTIONS FROM THE PANEL)

TO CONSIDER THE FORMATION OF A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION OF THE 501-
-10-

C3 TYPE TO ACT AS AN UMBRELLA FOR A COALITION TO BE SUPPORTED

BY DUES - TO SET ITS OWN AGENDA.

I WILL PROVIDE FUNDS TO PAY LEGAL FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES TO GET

THIS OFF THE GROUND.

I WILL SEEK TO PUT THIS NEW ORGANIZATION IN TOUCH WITH POSSIBLE
ONGOING SOURCES OF FUNDING. BELIEVE ME, THIS IS AN EFFECTIVE AND
PRODUCTIVE TOOL, JUDGING FROM OUR POST-WORKSHOP EXPERIENCES WITH
THE ORGAN PROCUREMENT FOR TRANSPLANTS, CHILD ABUSE, RESOURCE

LOCATION FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, SELF HELP, AND SO ON.

I WILL SEE THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS REACH THE WIDEST POSSIBLE

AUDIENCE, BECAUSE WE ALL MUST BE ADVOCATES.

AND NOW FOR SOME COMMENTS THAT APPLY TO ALL PANELS - I WILL:

oO USE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH ORGANIZED MEDICINE TO GIVE THE

FINAL PRODUCT OF THIS WORKSHOP THE BROADEST)

APPLICATIONS.
-1ll-

SEE THAT A COPY OF THE FINAL DOCUMENT GOES TO EACH
SENATOR AND EACH CONGRESSMAN WITH AN APPROPRIATE

COVERING LETTER FROM ME.

DO THE SAME FOR THE CHIEFS OF STAFF OF THE VARIOUS
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES THAT COULD HAVE A LEGISLATIVE

INTEREST IN THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

PRESENT THESE FINDINGS IN DETAIL AND WITH ADDITIONAL
COMMENTS TO THE ASSOCIATION OF STATE AND TERRITORIAL

HEALTH OFFICERS AT THEIR ANNUAL MEETING IN THE SPRING.

SEEK AN APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS MUNICIPAL

AND COUNTY HEALTH OFFICERS IN THE SAME MANNER.

PERSONALLY SIT DOWN WITH THE NEW SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT -
OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SOON AND WITH THE NEW SURGEON
GENERAL EVENTUALLY AND SOLICIT THEIR PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT
BECAUSE OF THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION AND THE NEED FOR

ACTION, AND
-12-

° WHEREVER POSSIBLE, I WILL LAY THE BURDEN ON GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES, PRIVATE AGENCIES, AND ACADEMIA AND SEEK

COOPERATION AT EVERY LEVEL.

WHEN THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS UNDERWAY, I WILL SEE THAT THE

GOVERNORS OF EACH STATE AND TERRITORY RECEIVE THE COMPLETE SET OF

DOCUMENTS WITH A COVERING LETTER FROM ME.

NOW FOR A FINAL WORD. STRANGE AS IT MAY SEEM, THERE ARE A FEW
PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO WOULD HAVE PREFERRED THAT WE NOT

MEET ON THIS SUBJECT THIS WEEK...OR MAYBE EVER.

I GUESS BY NOW EVERYONE KNOWS OF MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH MR.
EDWARD O. FRITTS, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
BROADCASTERS (THE N.A.B.) INASMUCH AS THE PRESS HAD HIS LETTER

TO ME WHEN I RECEIVED MY COPY.

HIS IS A KEY ORGANIZATION, I WON'T DENY THAT. I WANTED HIM AND

THE N.A.B. TO BE HERE WITH US. I WANTED EVERYONE TO HEAR THE

N.A.B.'s POINT OF VIEW NOT ONLY BECAUSE BROADCASTERS ARE VERY
-13-

INFLUENTIAL -- AS WE ALL KNOW -- BUT BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE SO
MUCH AT STAKE IN THIS ISSUE. HENCE, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE A RIGHT

TO BE HERE.

THAT'S WHY I INVITED MR. EDWARD FRITTS. AND THAT'S WHY I ALSO
INVITED MR. JOHN O'TOOLE, THE EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ADVERTISING AGENCIES, (THE "4-A's,") AND
MR. DEWITT HELM, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL

ADVERTISERS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE CLIENTS OF THE "4-A's,"

BUT ALL THREE DECLINED. MR. O'TOOLE AND MR. HELM SUGGESTED THAT
OUR WORKSHOP LACKED "GOOD BALANCE." THEY ALSO SAID THEY HAD VERY
LITTLE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE DISCUSSION THAT WOULD NO DOUBT
TAKE PLACE HERE. AND EACH PERSON SUGGESTED I CANCEL THE

WORKSHOP.

I WAS SORRY TO GET THEIR REPLIES. BUT, IF I MAY SAY SO, I THINK
THEIR COMPLAINT AND SUGGESTION ARE QUITE UNFAIR. NOW, IT IS TRUE
THAT ONE MESSAGE THAT MIGHT BE HEARD AT THIS WORKSHOP IS THIS

ONE; THAT, ALCOHOL CONTRIBUTES TO INJURY AND PREMATURE DEATH.
-14-

THAT'S A TROUBLING MESSAGE, TO BE SURE, AND ONE'S INSTINCTS MIGHT
WELL BE, FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING, TO "KILL THE MESSENGER" ... IN
THIS CASE, DISCREDIT THIS WORKSHOP OR HAVE IT CANCELLED. IF SO,

THEN MR. O'TOOLE'S AND MR. HELM'S STRATEGY DIDN'T WORK.

HOWEVER, THE LETTER TO ME FROM MR. FRITTS OF THE N.A.B. WAS A BIT

MORE UNSETTLING BECAUSE IT CONTAINED THIS OBSERVATION:

"AT BEST," WROTE MR. FITTS, "THIS WORKSHOP IS DESIGNED
TO POLITICIZE THE EMOTIONAL TRAGEDY OF DRUNK DRIVING.
AT WORST, IT IS A TOTAL ABUSE OF THE POLICY-SETTING

PROCESS."

IN ADDITION TO BEING SURPRISED AT THAT UNFORTUNATE CHOICE OF
WORDS, I WAS TAKEN ABACK BY THAT OBSERVATION, SINCE -- OVER THE
PAST 7 YEARS -~- I HAVE PERSONALLY CONVENED AND CONDUCTED OVER A
DOZEN WORKSHOPS, SEVERAL AT THE REQUEST OF PRESIDENT REAGAN,
DEALING WITH SUCH DIFFICULT ISSUES AS...

° ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION

oO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

°Q THE NEEDS OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND THEIR

FAMILIES; AND

° THE ROLE OF THE SELF-HELP MOVEMENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH
-15-

AND I'VE CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS ON CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND PUBLIC
HEALTH... AND ON THE CARE OF CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN WITH AIDS, AND

SO ON.
NONE OF THESE WORKSHOPS WAS CALLED TO "POLITICIZE AN EMOTIONAL
TRAGEDY" ... AND ALL THESE WORKSHOPS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO

THE POLICY-MAKING PROCESS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION.

AS WILL THIS ONE, I AM SURE.

 

I DON'T WISH TO DWELL ON THE N.A.B.'s CRITICISM BECAUSE IT MAY BE
NOTHING MORE THAN AN EARLY AND PREDICTABLE PHASE IN THE

INDUSTRY'S LEARNING PROCESS.

THAT'S BEEN THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BROADCASTING AND THE
ADVERTISING INDUSTRIES. WE OBVIOUSLY MUST WAIT FOR THEM TO OFFER

SOMETHING MORE HELPFUL.

BUT WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT WILL HAPPEN? IF HISTORY IS ANY

GUIDE, THE CHANCES MIGHT BE SLIM.
-16-

I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE, BECAUSE THE HISTORY OF SMOKING AND

HEALTH IS NOT ENCOURAGING.

I'VE REVIEWED THE WAY THE TOBACCO, BROADCASTING, AND ADVERTISING
INDUSTRIES BEHAVED AROUND THE TIME MY PREDECESSOR, THE LATE

DR. LUTHER TERRY, RELEASED THE FIRST SMOKING AND HEALTH REPORT
25 YEARS AGO. FROM THAT REVIEW I CAN SEE THAT, EVEN AT THIS
EARLY STAGE OF DISCUSSION, THERE ARE ALREADY SIMILARITIES OF

BEHAVIOR.

AND THAT'S A SHAME. I THINK WE'D ALL PREFER THAT THESE
INDUSTRIES -~- AND THEIR CHOSEN LEADERS -- WOULD HEED THE OFT-

QUOTED WISDOM OF GEORGE SANTAYANA, WHO WROTE

"THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST

ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT."

I CAN TELL YOU THAT I, FOR ONE, WOULD RATHER NOT REPEAT THE
DIFFICULT TIMES WE HAD IN THE PAST. I DO NOT THINK THE

CONFRONTATIONS WERE ALWAYS NECESSARY OR FRUITFUL.
-17-

BUT SOME ASPECTS OF THE PAST ARE WORTH NOTING AND WORTH

EMULATING.

FOR EXAMPLE, 25 YEARS AGO THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY, WITH THE
SUPPORT OF MANY CITIZENS' GROUPS AND A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, EMBARKED UPON A SYSTEMATIC PROGRAM OF

RESEARCH INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SMOKING AND HEALTH.

AT THE SAME TIME, AND IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY, WE ALSO BEGAN TO LOOK
AT THE PUBLIC POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESEARCH RESULTS, AS

THEY CAME TO LIGHT.

FROM THAT INFORMATION WE WERE ABLE TO PLAN FOR WAYS TO HELP THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE CAST OFF THIS HIGH~RISK HEALTH BEHAVIOR:

SMOKING. AND THAT MEANT PRINCIPALLY A LONG-RANGE AND UNREMITTING
PROGRAM OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INSTRUCTION. THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED REGARDING THE ISSUE OF SMOKING AND HEALTH. AND
CERTAINLY DRINKING AND DRIVING IS HIGH RISK BEHAVIOR AMENABLE TO

EDUCATION AND INSTRUCTION.
-18~

I RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THAT MR. FITTS, MR. O'TOOLE, AND MR. HELM
~- AND THEIR COLLEAGUES -- REVIEW THAT HISTORY AS I DID, BECAUSE
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MAY NOW BE -- IN TERMS OF ALCOHOL -- WHERE WE

WERE 25 YEARS AGO IN TERMS OF TOBACCO.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE "NATIONAL COMMISSION AGAINST DRUNK

DRIVING" AND THIS WORKSHOP PROVIDES A PUZZLE NOT EASY TO SOLVE.

THAT WE - THE COMMISSION AND THIS WORKSHOP - HAVE THE SAME
PRESUMED GOAL SHOULD BE OBVIOUS. THAT WE SHOULD STAND TOGETHER

MAKES SENSE.

YET MR. ADDUCI - CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMISSION ~- CLEVERLY SUGGESTED
TO ME IN A LETTER OF NOVEMBER 28, 1988, THAT " YOU MAY BE

CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING ALONG WITH OTHER OPTIONS."

ONE OPTION WAS TO "DISREGARD THE VIEWS AND POSITION OF THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS"... ANOTHER WAS TO POSTPONE
THIS MEETING AND A THIRD WAS TO "NOTIFY ALL PANELISTS THAT (MY)
OFFICE HAD OVERLOOKED OR WAS UNAWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE DOT HAD
GIVEN THE NATIONAL COMMISSION A $100,000 GRANT TO DO A 16-MONTH

ASSESSMENT OF ITS INITIATIVES."
-19-

AFTER FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE WITH ME AND CONVERSATIONS WITH MY
STAFF, IT WAS AGREED THAT MR. ADDUCI AND I WOULD LET NO LIGHT BE
SEEN BETWEEN US AS WE STOOD SIDE BY SIDE IN THIS EFFORT TO

REDUCE THE CARNAGE ON OUR HIGHWAYS AND STREETS. AND THAT EITHER
MR. ADUCCI OR HIS PROGRAM DIRECTOR, DR. GRANT, WOULD SPEAK AT THE

OPENING PLENARY SESSION.

THIS SEEMED VERY APPROPRIATE IN VIEW OF THE PUBLISHED REPORT OF
THE COMMISSION ON "YOUTH DRIVING WITHOUT IMPAIRMENT," EXCERPTS OF
WHICH BOTH DR. BOWEN AND I READ THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY AT THE

PLENARY AND COMMENTED UPON FAVORABLY.

YET WHEN THE CONFIRMATORY LETTER WAS FAXED TO ME ON THE 13TH -
THE DAY BEFORE THIS WORKSHOP OPENED - THERE WAS A QUID PRO QUO.
IN RETURN FOR THAT SPEECH, WE WOULD NOT RELEASE CONCLUSIONS OR
RECOMMENDATIONS OF TWO OF OUR PANELS UNTIL THE COMMISSION HAD

COMPLETED ITS ASSESSMENT PROJECT - A MINIMUM OF 16 MONTHS FROM

WHENEVER THEY START.
-20-

I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO YOU AND, THEREFORE, THE

COMMISSION REFUSED TO SPEAK AT THE OPENING PLENARY SESSION.

I THOUGHT THE PROPOSED DELAY - 16 MONTHS —- WAS PARTICULARLY
INAPPROPRIATE IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT THE NATIONAL BEER
WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
BROADCASTERS, WITH PARTICIPATING LEGAL COUNSEL, IN THE MOST
INTENSE DISCUSSIONS WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND TODAY, REQUESTED
ONLY A 45-DAY COMMENT PERIOD FOLLOWED BY A 30-DAY DELAY BEFORE

FINAL PUBLICATION.

AS FOR ME, I INTEND TO IGNORE THOSE WHO WOULD LYNCH OR EXECUTE A
FIRST OFFENDER IN DRUNK DRIVING, JUST AS I WOULD IGNORE THOSE WHO
SAY THAT IT HAS NOT YET BEEN PROVEN THAT ALCOHOL IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING.

I INTEND TO ASSUME WHAT LEADERSHIP ROLE I MAY BETWEEN THESE TWO
EXTREMES AND, AS I HAVE WITH OTHER ISSUES, TRANSMIT WHAT ENERGY,
ENTHUSIASM AND CREDIBILITY I HAVE TO THIS WAR AGAINST IMPAIRED

DRIVING.
-21-

I WILL THINK OF LOTS MORE AND KEEP YOU POSTED.

THANKS TO AMY BARKIN, STEVE MOORE, AND MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE
BROUGHT US THIS FAR WITH THE WORKSHOP AND THANK YOU, SUSAN

LOCKHART, FOR ALL YOU WILL DO WITH ME AS WE FACE THIS PROBLEM IN

THE NEW YEAR.

AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING. HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON

AND ALL THAT'S GOOD IN THE NEW YEAR.