I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1549
To establish a commission to be known as the Harold Hughes-Bill Emerson
Commission on Alcoholism.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 7, 1997
Mr. RAMSTAD (for himself, Mr. KLECZKA, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. CAMPBELL,
Mr. CASTLE, Mr. DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. FROST, Mr.
GILCHREST, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Mr. KLUG, Mr. LAZIO of
New York, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. NETHERCUTT, Mr. WALSH, Mr. WAMP,
and Mr. WOLF) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Commerce
A BILL
To establish a commission to be known as the Harold
Hughes-Bill Emerson Commission on Alcoholism.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Harold Hughes-Bill
Emerson Commission on Alcoholism Act’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the
Harold Hughes-Bill Emerson Commission on Alcoholism
(in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 3. DUTIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall carry out
the following duties:
(1) Hold public hearings on selected areas of
interest related to alcoholism.
(2) Promote the development of a national con-
sensus on policy issues related to alcoholism, which
may include conducting a national opinion survey on
attitudes toward the disease of alcoholism and its
prevention.
(3) Evaluate the interest of the provider and
medical communities in new medications related to
alcoholism and the barriers to the communities in
obtaining such medications, and make recommenda-
tions regarding research on and the manufacturing
and availability of such medications.
(4) In conjunction with the National Institute
on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse and the advisory
council of such Institute, conduct a study to identify
the current state-of-the-art alcohol research, unmet
alcohol research needs, and appropriate research
funding in view of the size and scope of the alcohol-
ism problem.
(5) Evaluate and make recommendations re-
garding the education of physicians in American
medical schools concerning alcoholism (including an
examination of the requirements of accreditation of
medical schools) and the certification of other indi-
viduals trained to provide alcoholism prevention and
treatment services.
(6) Evaluate and make recommendations re-
garding the availability, timing, and dissemination of
research information to alcoholism prevention and
treatment services administrators and providers, and
the application of current research findings by these
administrators and providers.
(7) Make recommendations designed to reduce
and prevent alcoholism which include recommenda-
tions concerning appropriate roles for the Federal,
State, and local governments and the private sector,
and concerning specific changes needed to Federal
laws and Federal programs.
(b) REPORTS.—Not later than two years after the
date on which amounts under section 8 are first made
available for carrying out this Act, the Commission shall
submit to the President and the Congress a report describ-
ing the findings made in studies under subsection (a). The
Commission may submit to the President and the Con-
gress such interim reports regarding the duties of the
Commission under such subsection as the Commission de-
termines to be appropriate.
SEC. 4. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) COMPOSITION.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commission shall be
composed of 12 voting members appointed in accord-
ance with paragraph (2), one ex officio voting mem-
ber designated in paragraph (3), and such ex officio
nonvoting members as may serve pursuant to para-
graph (4).
(2) APPOINTED
MEMBERS.—Members of the
Commission shall be appointed in accordance with
the following:
(A) The President shall appoint four indi-
viduals who are not officers or employees of the
Federal Government. Such individuals shall be
appointed from four of the following fields of
expertise:
(i) An economist.
(ii) A biomedical or behavioral re-
searcher or clinician.
(iii) A person from the field of busi-
ness.
(iv) A representative of the medical
schools.
(v) A health provider.
(B) The President Pro Tempore of the
Senate shall, after consultation with the major-
ity and minority leaders of the Senate, appoint
four individuals. Of such individuals—
(i) two shall be Senators;
(ii) one shall be an expert in alcohol-
ism prevention; and
(iii) one shall be an expert in alcohol-
ism treatment.
(C) The Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall, after consultation with the
majority and minority leaders of the House, ap-
point four individuals. Of such individuals—
(i) two shall be Members of the
House;
(ii) one shall be a person with per-
sonal or family experience with alcoholism;
and
(iii) one shall be a marketing or com-
munications expert.