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OCTOBER 24, 2000

On Monday, President Bill Clinton signed the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act into law, which institutes a federal standard on blood alcohol content.

The law week creates a nationwide blood alcohol content (BAC) standard of 0.08 percent. Most states currently define drunk driving as having a BAC of 0.10 percent.

Lowering the limit, Clinton said, will help save as many as 500 lives a year. Other groups, such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, have called for the lowering of the limit nationwide.

Under the law signed by Clinton, states would be required to comply with the standard by 2004 or lose 2 percent of their highway money. If a state doesn't comply by 2007, the penalty would increase to 8 percent, but if the state changes its limit by the time, it would be reimbursed for lost money.

On a related note, Clinton said he was disappointed with the lack of ability for tribes to apply directly for Job Access grants. The grants are designed to help families, including those formerly on welfare, to get jobs.

Another transportation bill concerning tribes, the Indian Tribal Surface Transportation Act of 2000, has not yet been passed by Congress. It would address limitations in funding and made changes to the managment of the Indian Reservation Roads (IRR) program.

Get the Transportation Act:
Making appropriations for the Department of Transportation and related agencies... (H.R.4475)

Get the IRR Bill and Testimony:
A bill to amend the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century to make certain amendments with respect to Indian tribes. (S.2283)
Hearing on S. 2283, the Indian Tribal Surface Transportation Act of 2000 (Senate Committee on Indian Affairs June 2000)

Related Stories:
Concerns remain for reservation roads (Indian Country Today 10/25)
State ready to lower drinking limit (The Medicine Wheel 10/10)
Alaskans seek help with 'epidemic' (The Medicine Wheel 10/05)
Drinking limit to be lowered (The Medicine Wheel 10/05)

Relevant Links:
Welfare-to-Work, Job Access Grants - www.fta.dot.gov/wtw/
Indian Reservation Roads Program -www.fhwa.dot.gov/////flh/reports/indian/intro.htm
Test your Blood Alcohol Content - www.projo.com/special/rways/bac.htm
Mothers Against Drunk Driving - www.madd.org
Driving Under the Influence - library.thinkquest.org/23713/frameset.html
Drinking and Driving, the 0.08% Debate - www.bacdebate.com