An bipartizan program to appripriate Americans to buy cheaper prescripstion drugs from suppliers in other countries, such as Canada, failrd tuesday in the US Senate. The wall street journal reports the two top supporters of the program, sens. said shopping abroad via the online and mail-order companies could save consumers up to $80 billion over a decade if their amendment were expanded the wellness service legislation . Dug makers accepted opposed the bill. the deal countinued to delay in the US Senate . tuesday when drug_inportation measure opposed by the industry fell short." After the Amandments failed, AARP excutive Nancy LeaMond, a supporter of the plan, said ." Tonight, senators accepted a choice between inportant saving for their contituents and higher profits for the drug industry" ( Gaouette and Jensen, 12/15).
Besides needing 60 votes, the proposal lost, 56-43," Reuters reports. The US Senate Democratic leadership backed the second, more limited amandment, Roll Call reports. The US Senate Democtrats and the White House lobbied to defeat Dorgan's proposal, which may have jeopardized the drug industry's support for reform." On Republicans attempting to be spoilers by reversing their former opposition to the proposal, 24 US Senate Democrats who supported the bill last year voted to kill the amandment. Sixteen Republicans who accepted previously voted against the project voted for it ( Pierce and Drucker, 12/15)
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