WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- The push to legalize the reimportation of prescription drugs has begun anew on Capitol Hill, but prospects for making the change remain slim.
A group of Republican and Democratic freshman Senators joined a group of Democratic and Republican House members in endorsing a reimportation proposal Wednesday, similar to one approved by the House in 2003.
Senate Budget Chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H, also reintroduced his more limited reimportation bill Wednesday.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., have agreed to hold a hearing within 90 days on a bipartisan Senate bill sponsored by Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.
But the deal is being viewed as mostly a means to appease Dorgan, who had held up Senate confirmation of Michael Leavitt to head the Department of Health and Human Service, which was approved Wednesday.
In addition, the prospects of final Senate approval of any measure are further lessened by the fact that Frist has resisted the movement of broad reimportation legislation, citing safety issues.
