[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

  Mr. THOMAS. Madam President, I will take just a short time to talk a 
little bit about pharmaceuticals. Obviously, there are different ideas 
about that. Indeed, there should be. We are on the floor again, 
however, without having a committee suggestion to follow, so it will be 
difficult for us. But certainly we need to do that.
  I suggest that the tripartisan bill that is before us is probably the 
one that is most likely to get support. Indeed, it is the only 
bipartisan plan in the Senate.
  We truly talk about finding common ground traditionally between the 
views. I think that is a good idea. This bill reforms Medicare and 
provides prescription drug benefits which will ensure that seniors do 
have coverage.
  The proposal, if it had been debated, I think would have come out of 
the committee as the one selected. The tripartisan bill spends about 
$330 billion over 10 years for drugs, which is more than some of the 
bills, but is considerably less than the one the Democrats have put 
forth. So this, perhaps, is a reasonable compromise between those 
proposals.
  I think the Democrat bill is unofficially scored at $500 billion for 
5 years, and then it expires. So I think that is one of the 
difficulties, the idea that it expires.
  The tripartisan bill also spends $40 billion to make some long 
overdue changes in Part B and Part A so seniors will have health 
coverage. So there seems to be quite more available there than in the 
alternatives. I hope we do something.
  Just to comment, one of the things that, of course, we are dealing 
with--we have talked about, and I think has merit--is the idea of 
reimportation. That is kind of what is on the floor at the moment. I 
think there is some merit in that. I do not believe it is the final 
solution. Indeed, as it gets into operation, we may find it more 
difficult than it has been.
  I think the Cochran amendment, that was passed yesterday, is very 
useful in terms of safety as it relates to the bill. I do think we 
ought to go a bit further; that is, I think there ought to be some 
labeling so that consumers have the opportunity to choose whether or 
not they want to take on the reimported drugs that have gone through 
Canada, that may or may not have come from the United States in the 
beginning. So I do think perhaps we ought to consider the idea, which 
can be very simple, to have it labeled that it is imported from Canada 
so people can, in fact, make those kinds of choices.
  Mr. President, since our time has been used, I will yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Bingaman). The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, may I ask what the parliamentary situation 
is at this time?

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