Drinking age

The current drinking age in states across the U.S. is 21.

(Saed Hindash | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

TRENTON -- A veteran member of the state Assembly has introduced legislation that would lower New Jersey's drinking age from 21 to 18 -- going against one of the most famous laws sponsored by the state's late U.S. senator, Frank Lautenberg.

Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris) is touting his bill with a familiar argument: It's wrong that an 18-year-old in America can serve his or her country in the military but not be allowed to buy alcohol.

"If you're old enough to hoist an M4 and shoot a terrorist, you're old enough to hoist a beer," Carroll told NJ Advance Media.

Carroll's measure was first reported by Politico New Jersey.

But it appears unlikely the bill will make much headway in the New Jersey Legislature. Under federal law, any state that reduces its drinking age below 21 would lose millions of dollars in federal highway funds.

State Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris) is pictured in 2014.

That law was sponsored by Lautenberg, the Democrat who was then a freshman member of the U.S. Senate from New Jersey. Congress passed it in June of 1984 and President Ronald Reagan signed it a month later.

Carroll said similar efforts to lower the drinking age in New Jersey have bounced around Trenton since then but haven't gone anywhere because of the fear of losing federal money.

The lawmaker likened it to "extortion."

"It's something Lautenberg was good at," Carroll said.

"I understand the motivation," he added. "But you have to have a line drawn somewhere. The line should be drawn at when you're mature enough to drink."

Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon (R-Monmouth) agrees with Carroll.

"My biggest problem is the federal government uses our money to extort us into passing laws," O'Scanlon said Tuesday.

But state Senate President Stephen Sweeney had a different view: "I really don't think it's a good idea."

"I grew up when the drinking age was 18," Sweeney said. "People would be sneaking into bars at a much younger age. I lived through that generation."

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.