"If we could stop drug use in all federal employees, all state employees, all county, town, city, and village employees and then all the Fortune 500 companies and all of the midsize entrepreneurial companies, drugs would no longer be expensive. People would not use them. There would not be any need for them. And in Colombia they would be making bathtubs instead of importing drugs into this country."
Rep. Gerald Solomon (R-N.Y.) June 23, 1998

After 20 years of active duty as one of our nation's most ardent prohibitionists, Congressman Gerald Solomon (R-N.Y.) is retiring from the U.S. House of Representatives after the current term.

In the past, he has introduced legislation that would revoke the tax-exempt status of organizations that promote or even mention drug legalization (e.g., Cato Institute, Reason Foundation, and Drug Policy Foundation). This year, he wants to prohibit any government agency from even researching legalization (1.4.R. 309). If, for example, another representative were to ask the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to study the impact of legalization on the federal budget as part of proposed hearings on the matter, it appears that a law like H.R. 309 would prohibit the CBO from doing so.

Some of Solomon's favorite legislation involves drug testing, as exemplified by the six bills he has sponsored or cosponsored this year that involve that practice. Here is a list:

H.R. 89— Federal Employment Applicant Drug Testing Act
Sponsor: Gerald Solomon
Co-Sponsors: none
Summary: Mandates pre-employment drug testing of all federal employees.

H.R. 90— Executive Branch Drug Testing Act
Sponsor: Gerald Solomon
Co-Sponsors: None
Summary: Mandates random, suspicion-less drug testing of all executive branch officers and employees.

H.R. 92 — Judicial Branch Drug Testing Act
Sponsor: Gerald Solomon
Co-Sponsors: None
Summary: Mandates random, suspicion-less drug testing of officers and employees within the judicial branch.

H.R, 310 — Legislative Branch Drug Testing Act
Sponsor: Gerald Solomon
Co-Sponsors: None
Summary: Mandates random, suspicion-
less drug testing of all members, and
employees within the legislative branch.

H.Res. 456 —Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to provide for mandatory drug testing of Members, officers, and employees of the House of Representatives.
Sponsor: Rep. Barton (R-Tex.) Co-Sponsors: Gerald Solomon + 18 others Summary: Mandates random, suspicion-less drug testing of all members, and employees of the House of Representatives by amending the House Rules. The test results of Representatives will be included in a biennial public report.

H.R. 1419— Child Abuse and Neglect Enforcement Act
Sponsor: Rep. Molinari (R-N.Y.) Co-Sponsors: Gerald Solomon + 25 others Summary (of drug-related provisions): Mandates states that receive federal funds for drug treatment and prevention to enact legislation to: 1) test all newborn infants for the presence of alcohol and drugs, and 2) report all positive tests to child protective services.