Biography of James M. (Jim) Ramstad

James M. (Jim) Ramstad served as a Member of Congress from Minnesota from 1991 until 2009. He was a Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Health and Trade Subcommittees and Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee.

Ramstad also served on the House Small Business Committee and co-chaired the Addiction Treatment and Recovery Caucus, Medical Technology Caucus, Law Enforcement Caucus and Disabilities Caucus.

Congressman Ramstad was chief co-sponsor of the landmark Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Parity Act which became law in 2008. Jim was named “Legislator of the Year” by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Counselors in 1998, by the National Mental Health Association in 1999 and by the National Association of Police Organizations in 1997 and 2000.

Jim Ramstad was born in Jamestown, North Dakota, the third generation member of a small business family. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota in 1968 (Phi Beta Kappa) and his J.D. (with Honors) from George Washington University in 1973.

Congressman Ramstad served his country as a First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Reserve (1968-75). He is a former Criminal Justice attorney (1973-78) and Adjunct Professor of Government and Constitutional law (1975-78). Prior to his election to Congress, Jim served three terms in the Minnesota Senate, where he was Assistant Minority Leader (1981-90).

In 2009, Ramstad was a Resident Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Jim currently serves as a Senior Policy Advisor to alliantgroup LLC. He is also a board member of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and TCF Financial Corporation. Ramstad is a co-founder of the Lake Country Food Bank and a member of American Legion Post 118.

Jim and his wife Kathryn have one daughter, Christen, a graduate of Colorado College and are members of Wayzata Community Church.