Jim Ramstad: “since first coming to Congress, I have worked closely with our former colleagues Bill Emerson and former Senator Harold…”

“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.”