09-21-2002

HEALTH: House Dems Seek Generic Drug Vote

House Democrats announced on September 18 that they will file a discharge
petition to try to force floor action before the end of the session on a
bipartisan, Senate-passed bill that would make it easier for generic
drugmakers to get their products to market. "Consumers can't afford
to wait any longer to fix this problem," said Rep. Sherrod Brown,
D-Ohio, one of the lead sponsors of the generic measure in the House.
House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt, D-Mo., said that the bill
"will close a loophole used by drugmakers to extend their patents,
inflate their prices, and gouge our nation's consumers." The Senate
approved the generic drug bill in late July, in a 78-21 vote, after
failing to reach consensus on broader legislation providing Medicare
prescription drug benefits. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said that
with the likelihood of a Medicare prescription drug benefit "getting
smaller by the day ... the only hope to get people some relief on this
issue is to lower costs." And Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., blamed
campaign contributions from brand-name drug companies for keeping the
generics bill off the House floor. The House passed a Medicare
prescription drug bill in June, and a statement from the Republicans'
"Prescription Drug Action Team" called the Democrats' effort
"another desperate attempt to change the subject away from another
major House accomplishment-passage of a fair, fiscally responsible, and
comprehensive plan to strengthen Medicare with prescription drug
coverage."


Julie Rovner/CongressDaily

National Journal