[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 25, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H593-H594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING NATIONAL COMMISSION ON 
                               ALCOHOLISM

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Chambliss). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 21, 1997 the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. 
Ramstad] is recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, since first coming to Congress, I have 
worked closely with our former colleagues Bill Emerson and former 
Senator Harold Hughes and many other current Members to address the 
epidemic of alcoholism and substance addiction in our country.
  During the last session of Congress, I introduced legislation, which 
actually was prepared by former Senator Hughes and our colleague Bill 
Emerson, to establish a National Commission on Alcoholism to develop a 
pragmatic, comprehensive and effective strategy to deal with this fatal 
and insidious disease. That effort continues this year, although as our 
colleagues all know, Bill Emerson went to be with his higher power, as 
did former Senator Hughes last year, but I know that those two great 
men are smiling down from heaven on us as we continue this very, very 
important effort.
  Next week I will introduce a bill to establish this National 
Commission on Alcoholism, a volunteer 2-year commission, to be narrowly 
focused, to streamline and better coordinate existing Government 
programs, treatment programs, prevention programs and education 
programs, to increase public and private sector cooperation, to 
evaluate the cost-effectiveness of treatment, and to improve alcoholism 
research and medical school training on this pressing public health 
epidemic.
  Instead of trying to find one big picture solution to alcoholism, Mr. 
Speaker, like we have done in the past, this commission will develop 
specific cost-effective and practical recommendations and then disband 
in 2 years. So unlike Federal commissions of the past that have met 
periodically to hold sparsely attended meetings and have given us 
reports that nobody reads, this commission on alcoholism will meet for 
a finite period, consist exclusively of volunteers, and will submit a 
final report to the President and the Congress of their 
recommendations.
  As policymakers at the Federal level, Mr. Speaker, we must address 
alcoholism as a possible health issue. On the average, untreated 
alcoholics incur health care costs that are 100 percent higher than 
nonalcoholics. At the same time there are no Federal and few, if any, 
State requirements to even study alcoholism in our medical schools.
  Members of this commission, Mr. Speaker, as I said, all volunteers, 
will include treatment and other health care professionals, educators, 
NIH officials, academics and also recovering people to give this 
commission and to give us in Congress a real-world perspective.
  We must address alcoholism as a public safety issue as well. 
According to the Justice Department, 36 percent of convicted murderers 
were under the influence of alcohol at the time of their homicide, 
while 13 percent used alcohol with another drug.
  Mr. Speaker, in addition, and I say this as a grateful recovering 
alcoholic myself of some 15\1/2\ years, I know that alcoholism must be 
addressed as the painful private struggle it is, with the staggering 
public cost. Last year alone, alcoholism killed more Americans than all 
illegal drugs combined, ripped apart families across this land, and the 
financial cost, Mr. Speaker, of alcoholism last year alone, 1996, 1 
year, the financial cost, $85.8 billion.

[[Page H594]]

  I am very grateful, Mr. Speaker, for the bipartisan support that this 
legislation received last year when I introduced it. We tried to lay 
the groundwork for passage this year. And so now it is my hope that we 
can pass this into law, get the National Commission on Alcoholism 
established, develop that comprehensive national strategy to deal with 
this costly, deadly disease. I urge my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to join 
me, join our bipartisan effort in cosponsoring this critically 
important legislation.

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