WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-NM, today met with Olympic speed skating champion Apolo Ohno, who was on Capitol Hill to discuss his effort to educate students about the dangers of underage drinking and the importance of healthy lifestyles.
Ohno, the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time with eight medals, has partnered with The Century Council to bring "Ask, Listen, Learn" interactive programs to middle schools across the country. During his visits, Ohno encourages students to say "yes" to a healthy lifestyle and "no" to underage drinking.
"Through his success on the rink and his dedication to a healthy lifestyle, Apolo Ohno is a role model for young people across the country. I commend him for his work to educate America's youth about the dangers of underage drinking," Udall said.
Udall, a longtime advocate of legislation and programs to reduce and eliminate drunk driving among all age groups, recently introduced the ROADS SAFE (The Research of Alcohol Detection Systems for Stopping Alcohol-related Fatalities Everywhere) Act in the U.S. Senate. The legislation is designed to reduce the number of drunk driving crashes and fatalities on America's roads by funding the development of new technologies to prevent drivers from operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol. The Century Council endorsed the ROADS SAFE Act when it was introduced.
As New Mexico Attorney General from 1990-1998, Udall fought to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road and has continued to champion the cause in the Senate. In December, Udall joined Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in introducing legislation that would make states require the use of ignition interlock technology for all convicted drunk driving offenders. This legislation would make New Mexico's current DWI ignition interlock mandate the national standard.