Help on understanding this vote to modify the FDA

[dmosh42]

Yesterday, the Senate worked on passing legislation to modify how the FDA works, and Byron Dorgan's amendment would allow importation of prescription drugs, which would reduce costs to our citizens. Another Amendment was introduced by Cochran of Ms., which would effectively block this because it would require safety certification by HHS. (who says it couldn't administer this) On a vote, this amendment passed 49-40, with 11 Senators not voting. Making the lists of supporters were notable Dems,(Kennedy, Kerry, Mikulski, Murray and Lieberman) which seems to keep the pharmaceutical cos happy. Biden, Dodd, Obama,Reed and Tester were among the missing. Clinton did vote with Dorgan, and 38 mostly Democratics to oppose. Is there something I missed, or are many of our top candidates acting like Republicans? I'll be watching the news for any explanations, but I think Clinton just moved up on my list of favorites!

[orpupilofnature57]

1. There should be a law to penalize Law makers that miss votes. n/t

[izzie]

2. Always safe to say you were not in the voting.

It seems to be very hard to get any control of corp. business and I think it has always been like this in this country. The general pop seems to want to believe that big business will alway do the right thing and if it means make profits it will. They sure do not always look at who buys as the best way to go. That, to me, is the very reason govt. must have some control over it all for these very buyers that we all are. By yelling and all that we will get it.

[orpupilofnature57]

4. wouldn't be the first time Big Biz didn't do the right thing .....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Plot

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Here is an article with explains the amendment and a the roll call:

Drug imports amendment passes, with strings attached

By Jeffrey Young

May 07, 2007

The Senate Monday approved language designed to permit the importation of less expensive medications from abroad, but not before attaching language opposed by supporters of “reimportation.”
Sen. Byron Dorgan’s (D-N.D.) amendment to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bill passed by voice vote Monday, following a 63–28 cloture vote on the language last Thursday. Dorgan’s legislation would allow individuals and wholesalers to import drugs from other countries for sale in the United States.

But Dorgan and his allies were unable to beat back legislation sponsored by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), which was favored by the Senate Republican leadership and the drug industry. Cochran’s measure would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to certify the safety of drugs brought in from abroad. The Cochran amendment passed 49–40.

The White House indicated last week that President Bush would veto any bill that contained reimportation provisions. The addition of the Cochran language, however, may free the president from rejecting the entire FDA bill. During both the current and Clinton administrations, HHS refused to guarantee that it could certify the safety of drugs imported from other countries.

more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/drug-imports-amendment-passes-with-strings-attached-2007-05-07.html

Question: On the Amendment (Cochran Amdt. No. 1010 )

YEAs ---49
Alexander (R-TN)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-NE)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thomas (R-WY)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

NAYs ---40
Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cardin (D-MD)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Craig (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Grassley (R-IA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lott (R-MS)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Nelson (D-FL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 11
Allard (R-CO)
Biden (D-DE)
Brownback (R-KS)
Dodd (D-CT)
Ensign (R-NV)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Johnson (D-SD)
McCain (R-AZ)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Tester (D-MT)

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00151

[dmosh42]

5. Thanks for posting that article which agrees with my interpretation

I'll keep a copy of that vote to remind me of the phony, double dealers that also belong to the Democratic party, and who are 'for sale' to whomever has power and money.