House Democrats Unveiling Health Bill as One Senate Panel Nears Wrapup of Its Version

CQ TODAY MIDDAY UPDATE July 14, 2009 – 1:31 p.m.
House Democrats Unveiling Health Bill as One Senate Panel Nears Wrapup of Its Version
Spurred on by President Obama, one Senate committee was nearing completion Tuesday of a massive health care overhaul bill and House Democrats were poised to unveil their version.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., and the chairmen of the three House committees involved in drafting the health care bill were to unveil their plan at a 2:45 p.m. news conference. The leaders have struggled to nail down support for their legislation, which has run into resistance from conservative Blue Dog Democrats because of its cost and proposed surtax on wealthy Americans.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hoped to complete action on its bill by the end of the day. But the Senate Finance Committee has yet to begin a markup of its version, one expected to conflict with the HELP measure in some key aspects.
Obama is pressing lawmakers to finish their work sooner rather than later. He wants a health bill passed by both chambers before the August recess, giving negotiators time this fall to hammer out a final version.
Late Monday, the Senate HELP panel voted to authorize the Food and Drug Administration to approve generic versions of expensive biologic drugs — those derived from proteins, rather than chemicals. Ordinary pharmaceuticals have faced generic competition for more than two decades, but biologics have not up until now.
Sherrod Brown , D-Ohio, offered an amendment that sought to limit to seven years the exclusive marketing rights a company could claim for a new brand-name biologic drug. But that amendment was rejected, 5-17.
Instead, the committee adopted by 16-7 an amendment by Orrin G. Hatch , R-Utah, that would provide 12 years of market exclusivity for new biologic products. The industry had sought 14 years of market protection.