She had been nervous, she said. Mom, I wanna work off my stress. I have to direct a play tomorrow and she went to the end of my driveway and flipped around blew me a kiss and said, I love you. I'll be right back and I never saw her again. Her life ended that day on her way home, she looked up and she saw a car driven by a drunk and marijuana impaired driver. Off the road onto the bike path spinning Helen Marie looked up and there was nothing she could do but die in bright sunshine with loads of people looking on her body went flying in the air and that what is what brings me here today, along with so many people that share sudden violent loss because of this horrific crime. Of drunk driving. In 2006, Mad convened a technology symposium in New Mexico to discuss the idea of advanced alcohol detection technology, alcohol detection technology. The notion was that car companies could build systems that would passively detect whether or not that driver was drunk. Following that symposium, the government and the industry entered into a cooperative agreement to determine if. The technology was even possible 11 years later, we know that it is in fact possible to build a car that cannot be driven by a drunk driver. We also know that drunk driving is far from over. In just a minute you will hear from Megan Marissa and her son, William. She's the sister of Islam, Abbas, Sam and his. Wife Doctor Rima Abbas and their three children, Allie, Isabella and Jiselle or Jazzy were tragically killed by a wrong-way drunk driver in Kentucky. Early in January this year, the entire family ended. Seven months ago at a House hearing, I challenged the auto industry to move aggressively to put advanced drunk driving prevention technology in their vehicles. And now I'm back to reissue the challenge with some of my friends in Congress. In March, Volvo announced plans to to move forward on such technology, which reminds us that Nissan and Toyota or developing drunk driving prevention vehicles a dozen. Years ago, we also know that major auto industry suppliers are actively pursuing systems that can help solve the biggest problem on our highways. Drunk driving is the number one killer on our highways. I'm proud to be here today to announce this legislation that would eliminate drunk driving. We hope that the Senate bill that this Senate Bill and Congresswoman Debbie Dingles Bill in the House will stimulate more activities and plans for deployment it is. That the time for research is over mad reiterates the challenge to the industry, and we urge the industry not to wait for any more deadlines, but to move as quickly as possible to make their cars a part of the solution of ending this death and dying on our roadways. An option safety cannot be an option. And now I have some introductions. I would like now to introduce Senator Tom Udall, Senator Udall has been leading the effort to eliminate drunk driving since his time as attorney general in New Mexico. It was his legislation, the Road Safe Act that first authorized this public private partnership that made it possible to be here today. Thank you. For your leadership and welcome. Stand with everybody as Debbie up here. Yeah. Thanks. Thank you. so much Helen really appreciate it and appreciate all of the folks who are here today. Hi John. How are you? mother's against drunk driving? Skull is nothing short of completely eliminating drunk driving. The statistics are appalling for the last year we have them 2017. Drunk driving took 10008 Hundred and 70 - four lives. That's. Related Traffic death Every 48 minutes That's 10008 Hundred and 70 -, four preventable deaths. and that's 10008 Hundred and 70 - Four families scarred forever with the introduction of our bill. They reduce impaired driving for everyone. Act of 2019 or the Ride Act. We have our best opportunity of meeting Mads goal and help in drunk driving for Operates 10 million dollars to continue federal funding I fought for four years to develop advanced alcohol detection technology technology that prevents drunk drivers from taking the wheel in the first place. The legislation sets up a pilot program to test vehicles with this technology during fiscal years 2020, - one and 2020 - two, and it requires the National Highway Traffic Years to pass regulations to require installation of this technology in every new vehicle, so that's about a four -year window for this life-saving technology to be on the road in every new car and truck. I've been in this fight a long time with many of you here since I was state attorney general in the state of New Mexico in the 19 Nineties, I was talking to Senator Scott about that on the way over and he was telling me about a tragedy that he had been involved in with drunk driving they in New One of the greatest DWI rates at that period of time, one of the great when I was elected A G, one of the highest DWI rates in the nation, the tragic deaths of a mother and her three daughters on Christmas Eve in 1990, - two hit head on by a drunk driver. Going the wrong way galvanized me and many others in New Mexico. I worked to increase penalties for repeat offenders, lower the legal limit for intoxication and Liquor windows And in 2015, New Mexico became the first state to mandate ignition interlock devices for the first time for First-time DWI offenders. Our alcohol-related fatalities have decreased substantially since 1990 -. Two that year, we had 460 fatalities in 2017. We had 130 - one. That's a hundred and 30 - one too many So many champions of this cause and by families who have been forced to confront unimaginable pain as a result of drunk driving families like the Obamas family here today joining us from Michigan. These families are turning their pain in the progress for other families. We owe it to those who we've lost to honor them with action. so I am honored to be here today. I know that Representative Dingell from Michigan has introduced similar. In the House of Representatives, the Halt Drunk Driving Act. And when I'm here today with my cosponsor Senator, Rick Scott from Florida, if any bill should have bipartisan support, it's the Ride Act. Drunk drivers don't discriminate based on political party with a ride back. We can help in drunk driving once and for all and at this point, I just wanna say to Senator Scott. Thank you so much for your partnership in this bill and I look forward to hearing your comments today. Thank you. I wanna thank everybody for joining us here today. I wanna thank you all for for taking the lead on this and really caring the safety of our communities is always will be all of our top priority. Drunk driving is the number one cause of death on America's roadways deaths that are 100 percent preventable. There's a lot of tragic stories up here I grew up in a family where there's a lot of alcoholism and I think all of us seem like we got high school and somebody died with as a result of a drunk driver their story. Boss family that are absolutely heartbreaking. Helen thank you for your hard work leading mad. she unfortunately as we all know lost her beautiful daughter just about 10 days ago a good friend of mine. he and his wife were killed by a drunk driver in a cab and you just you know you think about their you know all those those have their kids now have no parents as a result of a drug. As a father and a grandfather, I can't imagine the pain suffering the loss of these families have endured my own family. We I've had relatives that struggle with substance abuse and so I think it's very important. We gotta figure this out so this doesn't happen to any more families. No family should have to go through this. While there's nothing we can do to bring back all the victims of drunk driving. There's something we can do in Washington today to try to prevent it from happening in the future. I'm proud to stand with Senator Udall today as we work to make sure. Like this never happens again, our bill, the Ride Act promotes the research and development of advanced alcohol detection software and creates a path forward to require the technology and new motor vehicles. If implemented, all vehicles, this technology will save thousands and thousands and thousands of lives every year. This legislation is a positive start to begin a much-needed conversation but how we achieve this goal. I look forward to working with stakeholders and both sides of the aisle to prevent future tragedies as soon as you've all said, this is not a partisan issue. This is an issue that. Republicans, Democrats impacts families all across our country. None of us should stand by and watch more innocent people be killed by irresponsible acts of others. We have to stand for the safety of all of our families and proud to join my colleagues to do just that. Our next Speaker is Representative Debbie Dingell, Representative. Dingle has long been a champion for Michigan and for auto Safety and because she's from Michigan, she has a unique understanding of the auto industry and how to help make our roads safer. and she also understands how drunk driving destroys families and impacts communities. So thank. For your leadership and welcome. Thank you. I wanna thank both Senators Synergy and Senator Scott who have been friends for a long time. You know drunk driving came front and Center to the community that I live in. Last January and you know we've talked about it for a long time. We said that we need to do something. Change in progress don't come as fast as we like, and too many people make excuses. The bus family has been friends of ours for a long time and I've known him for a long time and when I was at the masks of funeral, some of the classmates came up to me. And said, why the technology exist? Why have you not acted? Why have you not done something? Why have we lost our friend and when are you gonna do something and those kids are in my heart? I've I've known this family forever forever but Rana and making it been there. They knew John. Were there for me when John Duke we've worked together on many subjects and I knew when this happened that we had to do something. I do wanna thank Helen and mad for all the work that you've done and getting us here and I can't tell you how much I love working with Jon Clay Brook. I'm getting stuff done and when Nick Clay Brook and Debbie Dingell on the same team, they better worry. But I mean here's the reality is the kids said to me and so to some of the adults but it was the kit. The technology exists. Why aren't we using it? So my bill which is similar to and what's really wonderful is we have bipartisan by camera support on this. We need to get it done and I've called the autos I've talked to the autos. I'm like I'm not well. I gotta be careful. I'm not been around for two weeks but we need to get it done. We've got to it. We the trunk driving bill actually honors the bus family so it isn't in vain but we've got explore the use of passive alcohol detection technology in all new cars. This bill is gonna save lives and it's gonna help make this technology a reality in vehicles. It's time it's too much talk and not enough action when you're only testing a few vehicles. it's not getting where it needs to be. so by having this bill introduced in the Senate, we've now got the two companion bills. We've got the Commerce Committees committed to doing it. I'm not gonna stop until we get it done and I'm bound to determine we're gonna get it done this like this Congress So I wanna thank everybody for being here. I'm sorry I have to be with my friends this way but I thank them from coming to Washington and now I wanna introduce you to the other half of the dumpster crew with these two women team. the former administrator Junk Libra. We are gonna do this. I want to express my deep sorrow at having to have this press conference and these wonderful families who have come to Washington. It's such a very difficult thing to do and I'm deeply grateful to them for trying to help others for the future that they not have the same devastation to their family that we've had to theirs. my name is Jon Clay Brook. I'm President of marriage as a public citizen. I'm a former. Administrator and I'm a board member of advocates for Highway and Auto Safety who have been working on this issue as I five for many years. I'm delighted to speak in support of the bipartisan legislation to reduce the impaired driving for everyone or ride act sponsored by Senator Udall and Rick Scott and also to have the support of Debbie Dingell who is a force to be reckoned with and we're gonna make sure that. Bill gets through it, addresses the urgent need to curb drunk driving through the use of passive alcohol detection systems. I commend all of the people here including the mad and others who have brought this to the floor is a critical safety issue. Impaired driving causes a major emotional and financial toll, including preventable and premature deaths of children and parents and friends and Within families and as we've said, in 2017 alone, some 11000 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving drivers with a blood alcohol concentration or B A C of eight percent or more eight percent being the legal limit in most States. Additionally, the total comprehensive cost of drunk driving in this country amount to more than 200 billion dollars a year. You can imagine what we could do with that those funds that money. Advanced our society rather than to pick up the pieces, families who have been forced to cope with these tragedies know the pain and the suffering they caused never ever goes away. It lasts. Their lifetime is abundantly clear that more must be done to get passive alcohol detection technology into new vehicles as soon as possible. This is one of the most exciting opportunities that I've ever seen for alcohol issues. I've been working on them since 19. Six and it's it's just an amazing opportunity and we have to make it happen. That is why the Congress must take Swift Act but action on right act to stop this public health epidemic. Over the last decade, the federal government and automakers have been working to develop a passive alcohol detection system known as dads or driver alcohol detection system for safety spending, tens of millions of dollars already and both the industry. And the federal government most of the theme from the federal Government that may sound impressive, but when compared to the billions of dollars, the industry has spent and continues to spend on developing driverless cars. something that is a opportunity maybe in the distant future. It is a Prime example of how slow walking technological Acci nine that could virtually eradicate drunk driving and impaired driving is Faces us and what we need to do, according to numerous news reports. In recent years, companies like Volvo and Design, Jaguar and others have undertaken research and testing aimed at detecting impairment and other dangerous behaviors electronically and through other systems. But many of these projects exist only in the preliminary form, but there are some that are more advanced. The right act will inspire innovation and will create a market for technology for suppliers and automakers ultimately getting the technology. Cross the finish line regulation has the good side of both helping people and also helping the industry do what is really important for the public. Finally, I want to close by noting that there's a lot of anger in this country towards the alcohol industry because people who don't drink and drive are being needlessly killed by those who do. Members of the alcohol industry has supported the use of ignition interlock devices or IEDs after person is convicted of drunk driving impaired driving the concept of. Alcohol detection systems is similar in that it prevent someone who's impaired from driving. considering the average first offender will have been a drunk driving drunk 80 - seven times before being arrested, so it's hard to catch them, so they're always out there. It makes sense to get in front of this issue with a preventive measure. For these reasons, I urge the alcohol beverage industry to consider a course correction and to get behind In legislation, it would be the best thing that could ever do for their reputation. The right act is not any drinking. It's not any drinking and driving. It's it's any drinking and driving. Keeping customers alive is good for business and more importantly, it's the right thing to do. I wanna once again, thank you Senators you Scott and representative Dingle for their leadership and we look forward to working with them with Mad advocates of highway and auto safety. the people who are here today representing the families who have lost loved ones. And others to accelerate the drive toward a future with zero drunk driving. Thank you very much. Our final Speaker is one who liked me wishes. We weren't here today. Megan Abuse Mersa and her son, William are here to speak with us. Megan's brother Islam was killed in that wrong way crash in Kentucky in January, but like me, she shares the passion to work toward a day when this won't happen to any family I. Like to welcome Megan and William. Thank you for being here. Father, I often search for a role model. My uncle was that man. He taught me what it meant to be a man not through the complexities of teaching, but but but the way he lived his life. He taught me what it meant to be a father, a husband. But most importantly, he taught me what it meant to be a good human being to be selfless to put your family above yourself to love endlessly and to never stop caring. Above the ones you love, even when they don't always accept your love. Through my uncle that I learned that a father must be firm yet gentle, loving, yet discipline and above all else patient, he taught me that a marriage was a partnership, a partnership between two equals built upon respect and unconditional love and support. I will never forget all the memories I had with him and I will live my life the way he taught me. Rema taught me what it meant to be eternally kind, eternally grateful. What you have and to be there for others when they need you the most, the kindness Rima displayed in her life as a kindness, the rest of the world should attempt to emulate to be accepting of everyone, even when they aren't accepting of you and to treat others with respect until they give you a reason not to. I can honestly say without a shadow of a doubt that knowing Rima has made me a better person. AJ carried with him a rare intelligence that often could get him into trouble with other people. But when AJ's brain got him into any issues, his heart would resolve all problems. A J was unapologetically himself, 100 percent of the time. He taught me what it would. He taught me to do what makes me happy. regardless of what people would think, I wish I got to guide A J as he made his way through adolescence the same way my cousins have guided me, but now I. That he is the one that will guide the rest of us for the remainder of our lives. A J 's birthday is this Friday he would have been 14. He's no longer with us. Is he in just were so similar yet so different? At the same time, both were incredibly sweet but showed their sweetness in different ways. Is he a quiet and gentle soul would always be there for anyone when they needed her and Joseph, an electric personality, would put a smile on the face of the saddest or angriest person you know to call them. Angels is nothing short of an understatement. My uncle was a very profound and poetic person the way he lived his life. An art in itself. I can only hope that this short poem can do his artistry, the Justice it deserves when the darkness seems to overshadow the light when the pain cuts deep and feels permanent. when we wear the scar forced upon our souls when we abandoned our faith when we need it the most when we lean on God when nothing else makes sense when we hope for a better tomorrow while we struggle with the sorrow of today for what is hope without law. What is love without pain when all the time in the world feels momentary when we feel stagnant. Unable to move on, we must remember the joy we once felt to where our scars, not with pride to where our skies with pride, not for pity, but for motivation to make kindness a habit rather than an act. Practice patients and to live peacefully when the world around us seems to be crumbling to be a pillar of stability in the eye of the storm to celebrate life rather than grief death to allow love to repair our broken hearts truck driving. As an atrocious cancer that has plagued our nation for far too long and it's time that we take a hard look at ourselves and ask if we have been doing everything to protect and serve the citizens of this country. Because the fact of the matter is if we have my family and countless of other families will still be here right now. I found with my baby brother. he was 40. With my sister, she was 30. AJ will be 14 this Friday. Turned eight in March and will turn 13 in November Salmon remote where the core of our family. They were the patriarch and matriarch of our family. They held us together. You know, every family has a glue, right, the Google. They were the glue of our family and the glue their family. Her mom and dad and extended family members. They were the people you go to when you need a kind ear to listen. They would drop anything to help anybody. They never hesitated you called. They picked up the phone you needed help they were there. Now we're gonna do it for them right. Congressman Dingle held up our family. We're so grateful during a difficult difficult time. you held us you lift us. Like no other action, she took action immediately. She didn't hesitate. She didn't wait. This has to be done, she said. She stood in the House and said it has to be done. She stood strong and she is a force to be reckoned with. Of course, we're so grateful to a force. We respect person that's holding us. And we're grateful for all other representatives in the Senate in the House that support the bill and support saving 11000 lives a year 11000 lives a year could be saved. We spend a lot of money on roads. We spend a lot of money. We spend money on roads and we spend money on car. We need to spend money on safety and this measure will give us safety. It will save 11000 lives. Congressman Dingle. Your leadership is amazing and we are so very proud of you very proud of you. I'm going to read a very short poem like my brother was poetic AJ as well. He was very wise. He is an old soul. I always said I called them age or Pedro. Every time I walked into the House. It was A J age or pager. Himself as a nerd with the Brace Reader, he would read five books a week his mother would have to shut the lights off, and then his aunt got him a light for under the covers, so he could read in the night. No one knew he was reading. This home is titled I am Geeky I am Athletic and Geeky. I wonder how the world came to be. I hear the screens of the crowd. I see a bright light of hope. I want to become a pro basketball player. I'm athletic and geeky. I pretend everyone will be successful. I feel like something will always go wrong. I touch the stars reaching for my goals. I will. The world is unaware I cry when I see. I understand not everyone wishes. good things I say, follow your dreams. I Dream to help those in need. I try to get good grades in school. I hope world peace will become a reality. I'm as. This wonderful soul is no longer with us. Everyone's family membership in here we want to prevent additional pain and suffering. When this tragedy first took place, everyone reached out. We were still a bombarded in ways you can't even imagine. We fought like we were in a storm that just isn't ending. Still in that storm when people ask what can we do? What can we do? We can do anything. The only thing you can do I said is we need to fix the problem that causes issue. Donate to Mad Donate to mad That's how you can help us. This is how you can support us. Pray for us and donate to mad. It's all good. People because it's the problem that caused it and that's alcohol alcohol drunk driving. We will stop it with Congressman Dingell behind it. We will stop it and we will save 11000 lives a year. Thank you. Thank you all and thank you man and thank you. Congressman Dingell. I'll end with one last thing, Helen said to me earlier when she first started when she lost her daughter in that first year, someone from Mad said to her. You know why? Why people drive drunk because they can? Because they can it's so simple but we're gonna stop that. Thank you. We need to change our culture and it starts at the top. We see how far being reactionary has gotten us. We must be proactive in stopping this. Thank you. Megan, you just said drunk people drive drunk because they can. This legislation is gonna make it so they cannot drive drunk. So I want to thank Senator Udall and Senator Scott for introducing this legislation in the Senate and I wanna thank Congresswoman Debbie Dingell for taking the first step and introducing it into the House because. Together we will eliminate this scourge this. Ding on our roadways. Joan. Your determined fight to make our roads safer is invaluable because of you. Many of our cars nowadays are safer like airbags. So thank you. I especially want to thank the Abott family for being here today and for speaking out in honor of their loved ones. This in the first year of raw tremendous grief, demands, resolve and courage. So thank you for being here. And thank you all for being here and for your support. I'd like to introduce Ron Bass. That's okay. I'm sorry. this is the first public event that I have personally been at since the loss of our family. I am the sister of Remax Boss. I'm gonna keep this brief I did feel the need to first and foremost think these very brave individuals who are here today. I've had the honor of meeting every single one of them and learning about. Losses and I also wanna thank Senator Udall and Scott for putting this bill forward and Representative Dingle a dear and personal friend who for years has been a part of our family and who was our strength when we were at our most vulnerable, I just wanna remind everyone and forgive me but I assumed that. We share the same sentiment. I don't wish to speak on everyone's behalf, but we're not only here today. Because of those who died were here for them because they lived and because we know had they lived. they would've made a difference in this world and we lost out on that. So for my family in honor of them and to hopefully see something through to answer the question of why we are here today and especially in honor of my nephew AJ, who would have turned 14 this Friday. We do this for. We do this for Rema. We do this for our song. We do this for Isabella and we do this for yourself. Thank you. Alright, thank you all. we're happy to answer any questions If anyone has questions for us. Yes, this is Daniel. More States are legalizing.