Bob Barr: “one might ask the opponents of this very measured legislation why they think the International Association of Chiefs of…”

“one might ask the opponents of this very measured legislation why they think the International Association of Chiefs of Police is endorsing it. The International Association of Chiefs of Police certainly has no problem with the legitimate sale of alcohol. They are not beholden to the wine industry, large or small. They are not beholden to the beer industry, large or microbrew. Yet, they are very strongly in support of this legislation. The reason they are very strongly in support of this legislation is they know, as I suspect the opponents do also but will not admit it, that there are in fact numerous documented instances of minors purchasing alcoholic beverages over the Internet. For anybody to claim otherwise, they are simply misleading this debate or cannot make that argument with a straight face. There is a case, a documented case just recently reported in Alabama, of a 17-year-old boy able to buy alcoholic beverages over the Internet according to some plan where they will send it periodically, once a month. There is also, documented through Americans for Responsible Alcohol Access, a documentary that shows teenagers in various States, including Mississippi, buying alcoholic beverages. Also for the opponents of this very measured legislation, also to make the speechless argument that there has been no public input, that is absolutely wrong. There have been debates on this issue in the Congress. There have been hearings on this, two hearings.…”