WASHINGTON: With an atypical burst of bipartisanship, the Senate shipped legislation to President Barack Obama on Wednesday lowering hurdles for government drug approvals as the 114th Congress bumped toward the end of a two-year run highlighted by upheaval and stalemate.
A week after the House easily approved the biomedical bill, senators passed it by a similarly overwhelming 94-5 margin. That was testament to a package that plans spending $6.3 billion over the next decade on popular efforts like cancer research and battling drug addiction.
“This is a reminder of what we can do when we look out for one another,” Obama said in a written statement that promised his signature. Referring to families that have endured losses to cancer, Alzheimer’s and drug abuse, he added, “Their heartbreak is real, and so we have a responsibility to respond with real solutions. This bill will make a big difference.”
“This is an opportunity we cannot miss and we’re not going to miss it,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate health committee.
Before adjournment, which leaders targeted for later this week, lawmakers were also tackling bills financing government agencies into late April, mapping Pentagon programs and planning water projects.
The biomedical bill included a planned $1.8 billion for cancer research. It drew praise from scores of pharmaceutical, device and other medical industry associations and from numerous patients’ groups.
The bill was opposed by consumer organizations and liberals who said the measure’s shortcuts for Food and Drug Administration approvals would endanger consumers and represented a sellout to drug makers. They also complained that it will take later legislation for Congress to provide the funds the bill envisions.
“Congress should not have had to jeopardize patient safety to increase medical research funding,” said Michael Carome, director of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group.
Before adjourning, lawmakers still need to approve government-wide spending legislation. It contained money to keep agencies functioning into next spring, when the new President Donald Trump and GOP-run Congress would make final budget decisions.
It included $4.1 billion in disaster aid for Louisiana and other states, $170 million to help Flint, Mich., rebuild its lead-poisoned water system and other funds for U.S. anti-terrorism operations overseas. It also contained a provision to help former Gen. James Mattis become Trump’s Defense secretary by making it easier for Congress next year to waive the required seven-year wait before military retirees can head the Pentagon.
No one was expecting the bill to fail, but there were lingering disputes to resolve.
These included complaints from coal country lawmakers that the measure insufficiently extended health care benefits for 16,000 retired mine workers, whose coverage is slated to end Dec. 31.