[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E867-E868]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE RECOVERY NETWORK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SAM GEJDENSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 7, 1997

  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a part of the 
solution to our Nation's problem with addiction. The Recovery

[[Page E868]]

Network was founded by a group of concerned citizens who are answering 
the call to do more in this era when government is being told to do 
less. At no cost to the taxpayer, this system will provide those in 
need with a direct connection to help. Addictions to drugs, alcohol, 
gambling, and other problems will be addressed in the privacy of 
people's homes, so that those taking the first step toward recovery can 
deal with doing so without a harsh public watching every move.
  Mr. Speaker, I have a better description here with me and I am 
inserting this into the Record. I commend it to all of my colleagues 
and Americans everywhere:

                                             Recovery Network,

                                                 Santa Monica, CA.
       The Recovery Network: providing political leaders with an 
     issue of importance to every citizen.
       In every city throughout the United States political 
     leaders and community groups have focused major efforts and 
     limited resources on the growing problem of drug and alcohol 
     abuse. The cost in human suffering and diminished self-worth 
     cannot be measured in the loss of productive work, crime, 
     domestic violence and child abuse, or the large expenditures 
     in local, state and federal financed programs.
       The social cost of these problems is having an impact on 
     other services demanded by citizens. Alcoholism and chemical 
     dependency alone cost taxpayers, insurers and businesses more 
     than $166 billion.
       Finding solutions has eluded government officials, law 
     enforcement and community leaders. With the dramatic cuts in 
     funding from tax revenue, the problem will continue to plague 
     government at all levels. Now, with ever-decreasing 
     resources, more and more government leaders have come to the 
     realization that new solutions are needed to solve social 
     problems. The President and the Congress have called for a 
     commitment by corporate America to use their resources to 
     turn the tide in all areas that affect the lives of our 
     citizens.
       It is in that spirit that a group of concerned citizens and 
     television professionals joined with professionals in the 
     television industry, prevention experts and those in the 
     recovery community to create the Recovery Network. This 
     innovative cable network is working with established local 
     recovery organizations in every state to deal with drug, 
     alcohol and other substance dependencies, as well as eating 
     disorders, compulsive gambling and depression, to a name a 
     few.
       The Recovery Network will provide a direct connection to 
     those in need in the privacy of their homes. Real people. 
     Real solutions. At no cost to the taxpayer. An answer to 
     those never-ending issues leaders in government should 
     enthusiastically endorse.
       The Recovery Network is private enterprise helping to solve 
     public problems through locally oriented programs created and 
     supported by the national network. To do it, the Recovery 
     Network must secure two hours of cable time each day on city-
     franchised cable systems. Within two years, this privately 
     financed venture will seek a full-time, 24-hour-a-day link 
     into every home to provide round-the-clock public education 
     services to people in need of life-changing guidance to 
     reclaim their lives.
       For the first time, the Recovery Network offers a positive 
     and innovative use of cable that provide daily programs to 
     the homes of an estimated 88 million Americans affected by 
     substance abuse and dependency.
       30 million are children of alcoholics.
       50 million are addicted to nicotine.
       80 percent of all crime cases are alcohol- or drug-related.
       The social impact is clear. The political advantage is 
     positive.
       In every local cable community, the Recovery Network is 
     working closely with a partnership of local community 
     organizations and foundations providing care to the people in 
     need. Those care providers cannot reach all the people in 
     need of their services. The Recovery Network expands that 
     capability to every home wired to cable in their community.
       This cable connection offers its viewers more than a 
     presentation of the problem, more than direct involvement 
     with real solutions but also a direct link to sources of 
     information. The Recovery Network allows viewers to interact 
     with others through a 24-hour crisis response hotline, 7 days 
     a week, 365 days a year, as well as a support service offered 
     on the Internet.
       Support of the Recovery Network's search for a two hour 
     link into every home through a cable system provides a real 
     solution to the never-ending need to confront the problems of 
     drug and alcohol addiction and provide real solutions through 
     local government-franchised cable provider.
       The Recovery Network gives political leaders, public 
     officials, unions and the local recovery community a real 
     tool to confront an issue of concern to every citizen at no 
     cost to the taxpayer.

     

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