June 16 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. House barred the Bush administration from including any language in trade agreements that blocks prescription-drug imports to the U.S. as part of a $57.5 billion funding measure.
The funding legislation, approved by a 418-7 vote, also scales back a section of the U.S. Patriot Act by requiring the FBI to get a warrant before obtaining library and bookstores records on patrons' reading habits. The bill funds the Commerce, Justice and State departments for fiscal year 2006 and must be reconciled with a Senate version and signed by the president to become law. Fiscal year 2006 begins Oct. 1.
Supporters of the drug-import measure said it is aimed at preventing agreements similar to those signed with Australia, Singapore and Morocco that would bar Americans from buying drugs from those countries even if the U.S. decides to legalize the imports. Americans in 2003 spent about $1.4 billion on medicines from other countries, where prices are as much as 70 percent lower.
``We're trying to crack this nut from about three or four different angles, and one is on the trade front,'' said Representative Gil Gutknecht, a Minnesota Republican who is seeking support for legislation to legalize drug imports. Gutknecht said in an interview this week that there are enough votes in the House and Senate to pass a measure legalizing drug imports.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aI8OqvqoB5q8&refer=us
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