Joe Lieberman: “On March 4 the Senate voted in favor of an amendment to ISTEA that would make .08 BAC for drunk drivers the law of the…”

“On March 4 the Senate voted in favor of an amendment to ISTEA that would make .08 BAC for drunk drivers the law of the land. I voted for this amendment and was an original co-sponsor of the bill introduced last year by Senators Lautenberg and DeWine to establish .08 BAC as a national standard. Today I stand in support of a related amendment sponsored by Senators Lautenberg and DeWine that would establish national minimum penalties for repeat drunk driving offenders. Like the .08 BAC amendment, this amendment is supported by senators from both sides of the aisle. Having agreed upon a clear and reasonable standard for drunk driving, we need to take firm steps that stop repeat offenders and that discourage others from drinking and driving. The terrible price we pay as a society for drunk driving warrants firm measures to address the repeat offender problem. In 1996, over 17,000 Americans lost their lives in car accidents when a driver had been drinking alcohol. These Americans died in every state and they come from all walks of life. Many thousand more Americans suffer severe injuries in alcohol-related car accidents and families are devastated. Experts tell us that repeat offenders account for a disproportionate part of these drunk driving accidents. This amendment provides states with necessary flexibility and a number of important tools with which to combat the repeat offender problem. It includes minimum sentencing and license revocation.”