Jim Ramstad

Mr. Speaker, we have a chance today to prove that Congress can work in a bipartisan, or as my governor, Governor Jesse Ventura, constantly reminds me, in a tripartisan timely way to right a wrong, to respond to a horrible, horrible…

Mr. Speaker, imagine the horror of learning that a stranger has kidnapped your child. Then imagine the courage needed to keep alive the hope of your child's recovery and safe return. Imagine the costs, the financial costs, incurred by…

Mr. Chairman, I join as the second sponsor of this answer to prevent the devastating 54-percent cut in Legal Services Corporation funding. Mr. Chairman, every Member of the House before voting on this Draconian 54-percent cut in Legal…

I rise as the proud sponsor, along with my good friend, our distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak), of this important resolution, H. Res. 501, to honor those brave police officers who have given their lives to…

This truly is a defining moment in a 30-year effort to fight illegal drug use in America. We can continue down the road of a failed policy by spending another $1.7 billion for more eradication, more interdiction efforts that have been…

in today's St. Paul Pioneer Press this headline caught my attention this morning. It reads, ``Drug-Related Deaths Set Record.'' The story goes on to say that ``drug-related deaths in the United States have reached a record level, while…

we are about to spend almost $2 billion to escalate the war on drugs in Colombia, while here in the United States 26 million American addicts and alcoholics go untreated. We have already spent over $600 million to eradicate drugs at their…

Every day politicians talk about a drug-free America. Now, the Clinton administration is proposing to spend another $1.6 billion for drug eradication in Colombia so that we can become 'drug-free America.' Mr. Speaker, let us get real. We…

I rise as a proud cosponsor and strong supporter of the measure before us to provide urgent relief to families suffering from the unfair marriage tax penalty. About 25 million married couples currently pay an average of $1,400 more in…

Yesterday, President Clinton released $45 million in emergency fuel assistance to 11 States to help low-income families and senior citizens pay their utility bills, States that have been unusually hit by cold weather. Mr. Speaker, I noted…

today I rise in frustration, frustration with the government agency that may even be more unpopular than the IRS, if you can believe it. My friends on the Health Subcommittee of Ways and Means and many other colleagues on both sides of the…

Mr. Chairman, I rise as a cosponsor and strong supporter of the bipartisan Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill. The American people want us to be honest and fair, to play by the rules. That is why we need to eliminate soft money…

This bill will correct a number of complex but significant problems that currently plague HCFA's coverage, coding and payment systems.

Most importantly, it will help ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have timely access to life-enhancing and life-saving medical advances.

I am introducing 'The Medicare Patient Access to Technology Act' to make targeted adjustments in the technical methods and systems that Medicare uses to adopt and pay for new medical products.

I am pleased that HCFA is attempting to address the problems associated with its process for making national coverage decisions for new technologies.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

By demonstrating what a primary care oriented nursing practice can accomplish with enrollees who are elderly or disabled, CNOs are helping show us how to increase benefits, save scarce dollars and improve the quality of life for patients.

I urge my colleagues to consider this bill carefully and join me in seeking to extend these cost-savings and health care-enhancing CNO demonstrations for another three years.

I rise to re-introduce legislation similar to that which I sponsored in the 104th and 105th Congresses to extend the demonstration authority under the Medicare program for Community Nursing Organization (CNO) projects.

Frankly, in order to do all this analysis of the program, we need more time to evaluate the extensive data that has been collected.

It is important to recognize that the extension of this demonstration will not increase Medicare expenditures for care.

this has been the most difficult, gut- wrenching decision I have made in my 18 years of public service. In making my decision, I have been obligated to put personal feelings and political concerns aside to focus solely on my constitutional…

Yesterday we took steps to bank 90 percent of the budget surplus to save Social Security. Today we will give back a small portion to help people who gave us the surplus in the first place--American taxpayers. The marriage penalty tax…

Mr. Speaker, if ever we needed to put statesmanship ahead of partisanship, it is here and now. We can move forward, remaining engaged in the global marketplace, or we can turn backward and isolate ourselves, driving a stake into our…