[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 108 (Monday, July 30, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H4809-H4811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[[Page H4809]]
SUPPORTING GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION
RECOVERY MONTH
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 190) supporting the goals and
ideals of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.
The Clerk read as follows:
H. Con. Res. 190
Whereas 26,000,000 people in the United States are addicted
to drugs or alcohol;
Whereas 85 percent of all crime in the United States is
related to drug or alcohol addiction;
Whereas the taxpayers of the United States paid more than
$150,000,000,000 in drug-related criminal and medical costs
in 1997, which is more than they spent in that year on
education, transportation, agriculture, energy, space
exploration, and foreign aid combined;
Whereas each dollar invested in drug and alcohol treatment
yields 7 dollars in savings from decreased health care costs,
criminal justice costs, and work-related costs caused by
absenteeism, injuries, and poor performance;
Whereas treatment for addiction is as effective as
treatments for other chronic medical conditions, such as
diabetes and high blood pressure;
Whereas adolescents who receive treatment for addiction
report using less marijuana and alcohol and being involved in
less criminal activity;
Whereas addiction treatment for adolescents also improves
the school performance and psychological health of the
adolescents;
Whereas a number of organizations and individuals dedicated
to fighting addiction and promoting treatment and recovery
will recognize September 2001 as National Alcohol and Drug
Addiction Recovery Month;
Whereas the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
sponsors the celebration of National Alcohol and Drug
Addiction Recovery Month to encourage citizen action to help
expand and improve the availability of effective addiction
treatment;
Whereas National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
celebrates the tremendous achievements of individuals who
have undergone successful addiction treatment and recognizes
those in the field of addiction treatment who have dedicated
their lives to helping people recover from addiction; and
Whereas the 2001 national campaign for National Alcohol and
Drug Addiction Recovery Month embraces the theme of ``We
Recover Together: Family, Friends and Community'' and seeks
to increase awareness about alcohol and drug addiction and
promote treatment and recovery for the millions of Americans
who need it: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress supports the goals and ideas of
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from
Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).
General Leave
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks on H.Con.Res. 190, the concurrent resolution now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Maryland?
There was no objection.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the House consider House Concurrent
Resolution 190. It is important legislation introduced by our
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad).
The resolution expresses congressional support for the goals and ideals
of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.
Mr. Speaker, over 26 million people in the United States are addicted
to drugs or alcohol, and over 85 percent of all crimes are related to
these two substances.
{time} 1600
In fact, the preamble to the resolution notes that in 1997 American
taxpayers spent more than $150 billion in drug-related criminal and
medical costs. This is more than taxpayers spent that year on
education, transportation, agriculture, energy, space exploration and
foreign aid combined.
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month celebrates the
tremendous achievements of individuals who have undergone successful
addiction treatment. It also recognizes the tireless advocates who have
dedicated their lives to helping people recover from addiction.
Treatment for addiction, which the resolution notes is as effective
for treatment of other chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes and
high blood pressure, deserve the support of all Americans.
Every dollar invested in drug and alcohol treatment yields $7 in
savings as a result of decreased health care costs, criminal justice
costs, work-related costs caused by absenteeism, injuries, and poor
performance. Treatment for adolescents improves their school
performance and psychological health.
A number of organizations and individuals involved in fighting
addiction will recognize September as National Alcohol and Drug
Addiction Recovery Month. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse has recognized the
importance of this activity. It sponsors this celebration to encourage
citizen action to help expand and improve the availability of effective
treatment for addiction.
The theme of this year's national campaign for National Alcohol and
Drug Addiction Recovery Month is, and I quote, ``We recover together:
Family, friends and community.''
Its objectives are to increase awareness and to promote treatment and
recovery for the millions of Americans who need it. These are worthy
goals, Mr. Speaker. I urge all Members to support the resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 190, which expresses
the support of the goals and ideas of National Alcohol and Drug
Recovery Month.
This resolution is one that is very close to the heart of its
sponsor, Mr. Ramstad, who I have heard speak on this floor before
regarding his personal experiences and his deep conviction that drug
treatment is critical to our society.
September is, of course, National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery
Month. It is an opportunity for us to share the powerful message that
substance abuse treatment is effective and it reclaims lives. Providing
effective treatment to those who need it is critical to breaking the
cycle of drug addiction, violence, and despair and to helping addicted
individuals to become productive members of our society.
September is the opportunity for all of us to recognize the
tremendous strides taken by individuals who have undergone successful
treatment and to salute those in the field who have dedicated their
lives to helping people in need.
Substance abuse problems costs American businesses and industries
millions of dollars every year. They have profound negative effects in
the workplace. A study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration found that nearly 73 percent of all illegal
drug users in the United States are employed, 6.7 million full time
workers, 1.6 million part time workers.
Lost productivity, high employee turnover, low employee morale,
mistakes and accidents, and increased workers' compensation insurance
and health insurance premiums are all the results of untreated
substance abuse problems in the workplace.
Recovery Month also highlights the benefits to be gained from
corporate and small business workplace substance abuse referral
programs.
H. Con. Res. 190 makes us aware that recovery from substance abuse is
possible and that supporting treatment for addicted individuals
increases productivity, improves morale, business success, and the
quality of life for the addicted individual and their families.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad).
Mr. RAMSTAD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time
to me and for bringing this resolution to the floor so expediently and
for her strong support of this resolution. I thank the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Turner) for his support of this resolution as well as his
kind words.
Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago tomorrow, July 31, 1981, I woke up from my
last
[[Page H4810]]
alcoholic blackout in a jail cell in Sioux Falls, South Dakota under
arrest for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and failure to vacate
the premises. Today, on the eve of my twentieth anniversary as a
grateful recovering alcoholic, I am alive and sober only because I had
access to chemical dependency treatment.
My treatment experience at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis,
Minnesota started me on the road to recovery and gave me the tools to
live a sober, healthy life these past 20 years.
But, Mr. Speaker, 26 million other Americans are not so fortunate.
That is right. There are 26 million Americans, 26 million alcoholics
and addicts in our country, and fewer than 5 percent of them are able
to access treatment for their disease of addiction.
This disease, Mr. Speaker, is afflicting people of all ages. Among
young people, teenagers, ages 12 to 17, an estimated 1.1 million young
people are dependent on illicit drugs. Another 1 million teenagers are
addicted to alcohol in this country. Last year alone, 3\1/2\ million
drug addicts were denied access to treatment, according to the Office
of National Drug Control Policy. That does not account for the
staggering number of alcoholics who are unable to access treatment in
the United States.
Alcoholism and other drug addictions are an epidemic in America that
are not being adequately treated, an epidemic, Mr. Speaker, that killed
150,000 American people last year alone, and cost the American people
$246 billion. That is according to the Family Research Council, which
we all respect for the accuracy of their studies.
Mr. Speaker, back in 1956, the American Medical Association first
declared that addiction is a disease. AMA declared alcoholism and drug
addiction are a fatal disease if not treated. That means we alcoholics
and addicts will ultimately die, either directly or indirectly, as a
result of our dependency if our disease is not treated and recovery
maintained.
The good news is that treatment works. According to all of the
studies, treatment for alcoholism and other chemical addiction has the
same recovery rate as for the disease of diabetes, the disease of
hypertension, and the disease of adult asthma. In fact, treatment for
addiction has a higher success rate than treatment for kidney disease
and many forms of cancer.
All of us in Congress have heard former drug czar Barry McCaffrey
tell us, ``Chemical dependency treatment is more effective than cancer
treatment, and it is a lot cheaper.'' It is well-documented, as the two
previous speakers have mentioned, every dollar we spend for treatment
saves $7 in health care costs, criminal justice costs, lost
productivity from job absenteeism, injuries and below par work
performance.
All of the empirical data also shows that health care costs alone are
100 percent higher for untreated addicts and alcoholics than for people
like me who have been fortunate enough to go through treatment for
chemical dependency. Chemical dependency treatment works and it is cost
effective. Treatment not only saved my life, but it has saved millions
of lives in the United States over the last several decades, restoring
people to sanity and enabling them to lead healthy, productive lives.
I urge my colleagues to support this resolution commemorating
National Alcohol and Drug Addicting Recovery Month. For years a number
of organizations and people dedicated to addiction treatment and
recovery have recognized September as National Alcohol and Drug
Addiction Recovery Month. I particularly want to recognize the Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration, which sponsors this celebration of National
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month each year.
There are many other important organizations, like the Alliance
Project, the Johnson Institute, Hazelden Foundation and Recovery Works
in my home State of Minnesota which do so much to encourage citizen
action to help expand and improve the availability of effective
addiction treatment.
This September, special attention will focus on the relationships
impacted by addiction and recovery. The theme, as was mentioned, will
be ``We recover together: Family, friends and community.'' As any
recovering person will tell you addiction is extremely destructive to
family members. That is why they call it the family disease, and the
support of our family and friends is invaluable as we travel the road
to recovery.
Addiction is also destructive to communities. Eighty-two percent of
the people locked up in American jails and prisons today are there
because of drugs and/or alcohol. Increasing access to treatment for
use, Mr. Speaker, is extremely critical. Despite the benefits of
treatment, a significant gap exists between the number of adolescents
who need chemical dependency treatment and those who actually receive
such treatment.
According to a study done in Minnesota, a State that has led the
Nation in treatment and prevention of addiction, only one-fourth, one
out of four young people hooked on drugs and/or alcohol who need
treatment actually receive it.
Celebrating Recovery Month also gives us an opportunity to recognize
the tremendous strides taken by those who have undergone treatment, as
well as the great accomplishments by professionals in the treatment
field who dedicate their lives to helping others. By celebrating
recovery, we celebrate the lives of millions of people and their
families and friends in recovery today.
We also, Mr. Speaker, give hope to those still suffering from the
ravages of chemical addiction. I urge all of my colleagues to support
this important resolution, H. Con. Res. 190.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Minnesota for sponsoring
this resolution; and in particular, I know I am joined by every Member
of this House in thanking him for standing on the floor and sharing
with us his own personal experiences with this issue. I know it will be
an inspiration to many who are struggling with this problem, and I join
with my colleagues in thanking the gentleman to share his story and
sponsor this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad) for
his moving and inspiring statement, especially about his personal
experiences. I also commend the gentleman for his 20th anniversary of
freedom from chemical dependency, and thank him for introducing this
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to commend the gentleman from Indiana (Mr.
Burton), the chairman of the Committee on Government Reform; the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough), chairman of the Subcommittee
on Civil Service; the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the
ranking member of the full committee; and the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr. Davis), the ranking member of the subcommittee, for expediting
consideration of this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support National Alcohol and Drug
Addiction Recovery Month to encourage citizen action to help expand and
improve the availability of effective treatment.
Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 190.
By Mr. Ramstad a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. I urge my colleagues to join
in supporting this worthy legislation.
Regrettably Mr. Speaker, our society is in dire need of additional
emphasis on alcohol and drug abuse education, and especially with
regard to treatment. Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable
death in the nation, killing nearly 100,000 Americans each year. It has
been estimated that approximately 14 million Americans suffer from
alcohol related problems, including more than 8 million who are full
alcoholics.
Drug abuse is a widespread problem affecting more than 9 million
individuals. Recent years have shown disturbing trends in the use of
heroin, various club drugs, and methamphetamine, especially among our
younger populations. Moreover, the drugs available on the streets today
are cheaper, purer and easier to acquire than at any previous point in
our nation's history.
All told, it is estimated that 85% of all crime committed in our
nation is somehow related to either drug or alcohol addiction.
Furthermore,
[[Page H4811]]
in 1997, U.S. taxpayers spent more than $150 billion in drug-related
criminal and health care costs.
More troubling than the detrimental health effects for the individual
alcoholic or addict, is the long term impact on the families, and
especially the children, of alcoholics and drug abusers. Far too many
children grow up in homes where one or both parents consume far too
much alcohol, or use illicit drugs. These children are more likely to
suffer abuse or neglect from their parents than their counterparts in
homes were neither parent has a substance abuse problem. More troubling
is the fact that these children have a higher risk of becoming
alcoholics or addicts themselves when they reach adulthood.
We have made enormous progress in improving drug and alcohol
awareness. Thanks to the tireless efforts of groups like the Alcoholism
and Drug Abuse Council of Orange County, and of Mothers Against Drunk
Driving, alcohol-related traffic fatalities have decreased considerably
from thirty years ago.
Yet, we still have far to go. Far too many people do not view alcohol
as a drug, and an alarming number of Americans do not realize that
various alcoholic beverages contain different amounts of alcohol. A
survey conducted in 1996 found that only 39% of Americans understood
that a 12 ounce can of beer, a 5 ounce glass of wine, and a mixed drink
with 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits contain the same amount of
alcohol. This figure needs to be improved if we are to have any
measurable level of success in raising alcohol awareness.
Moreover we also have far to go on the drug front as well. Recent
years have seen a proliferation of efforts to create back doors to
legalization. This phenomenon is best illustrated by the medical
marijuana argument. However, on the whole, anti-drug efforts are seeing
signs of finally working after eight years of neglect under the prior
administration. A return to a balanced approach that attacks both the
supply and demand side of the problem simultaneously has made a
difference.
Drug treatment is an important component of demand reduction that has
proven itself to be workable, but it requires enormous commitment on
the part of both doctor and patient. This is especially true for those
addicted to opiate narcotics and alcohol.
In closing Mr. Speaker, H. Con. Res. 190 is a good bill, with a
laudable purpose. For that reason, I strongly support its passage, and
urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Petri). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) that the House
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res.
190.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of
those present have voted in the affirmative.
Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.
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