NEWS

Dems Voting No on Prescription Drug Imports Receive More Pharma Money

Emily Calhoun | December 16, 2009

December 16, 2009 - Yesterday, the Senate voted against the importation of prescription drugs, 51-48. Offered by Sen Byron Dorgan (D-ND) as an amendment to the health care reform bill, the provision would pave the way for market access to cheaper prescription drugs, by relaxing restrictions on imports from Canada and other highly-developed countries. In a bipartisan effort rarely seen in recent votes on health care reform, 30 Democrats sided with 17 Republicans and one Independent to kill the bill.

MAPLight.org found that Senate Democrats who voted to block imports, siding with drug companies, received an average of $73,678 each from drug companies over the past six years—76% more than Democrats who voted in favor of imports.

Among all Senators, those voting to block imports received an average of $85,779 each from drug companies, 69% more than those who voted in favor of imports.

All Democrats (and Independents)

Average to Yes votes (allow imports): $41,894

Average to No votes (block imports): $73,678

All Senators

Average to Yes votes (allow imports): $50,767

Average to No votes (block imports): $85,779

The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is opposed to drug importation, claiming the risks of counterfeit medicines and sub-standard regulations could cause undue harm to consumers. Senator Dorgan and 12 co-sponsors argue in the text of this bill that "a prescription drug is neither safe nor effective to an individual who cannot afford it." Dorgan estimates that the bill would save American consumers $100 billion over ten years.

Previous MAPLight.org research has also shown alignment of pharma campaign money and votes in Congress. On a Medicare-related vote in September, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee who voted in favor of pharma interests received 4.2 times more campaign money from pharma interests than Dems who voted against pharma interests. And in May 2007, the Senate voted to kill a similar effort to allow prescription drug imports. Senators who voted in favor of pharma interests received three times more campaign money from pharma interests—$100,000 each over six years—than Senators who voted against them.

Note: Averages for yesterday's vote exclude Senator Byrd, who did not vote, and recently elected or appointed Senators Roland Burris, Paul Kirk, and George LeMieux

Correction: Earlier post excluded Herbert Kohl from averages.

Campaign Contributions to Senators from Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Interests, January 1, 2003 - August 12, 2009

Senator Party State Amount from pharma interests Vote on allowing imports Akaka, Daniel D HI $4,000 No Alexander, Lamar R TN $108,950 Yes Barrasso, John R WY $55,500 No Baucus, Max D MT $261,020 No Bayh, Evan D IN $144,072 No Begich, Mark D AK $7,500 Yes Bennet, Michael D CO $10,750 Yes Bennett, Robert R UT $124,000 No Bingaman, Jeff D NM $48,500 Yes Bond, Christopher R MO $99,003 Yes Boxer, Barbara D CA $35,900 Yes Brown, Sherrod D OH $17,300 Yes Brownback, Samuel R KS $28,250 No Bunning, Jim R KY $64,250 No Burr, Richard R NC $301,898 No Burris, Roland D IL $0 No Byrd, Robert D WV $32,100 Not voting Cantwell, Maria D WA $22,400 No Cardin, Benjamin D MD $40,850 No Carper, Thomas D DE $135,700 No Casey, Robert D PA $34,750 No Chambliss, Saxby R GA $83,949 No Coburn, Thomas R OK $44,051 Yes Cochran, Thad R MS $69,000 No Collins, Susan R ME $70,500 Yes Conrad, Kent D ND $83,000 Yes Corker, Bob R TN $65,200 Yes Cornyn, John R TX $119,700 Yes Crapo, Michael R ID $64,580 Yes DeMint, Jim R SC $40,000 Yes Dodd, Christopher D CT $174,525 No Dorgan, Byron D ND $12,500 Yes Durbin, Richard D IL $28,600 No Ensign, John R NV $89,950 No Enzi, Michael R WY $146,500 No Feingold, Russell D WI $6,200 Yes Feinstein, Dianne D CA $39,500 Yes Franken, Al D MN $2,500 Yes Gillibrand, Kirsten D NY $44,400 No Graham, Lindsey R SC $55,250 Yes Grassley, Charles R IA $103,700 Yes Gregg, Judd R NH $122,500 No Hagan, Kay D NC $4,650 No Harkin, Thomas D IA $81,800 Yes Hatch, Orrin R UT $262,950 No Hutchison, Kay R TX $29,250 Yes Inhofe, James R OK $20,250 No Inouye, Daniel D HI $200 No Isakson, John R GA $126,599 No Johanns, Mike R NE $43,100 Yes Johnson, Tim D SD ($1,500) Yes Kaufman, Edward D DE $0 No Kerry, John D MA $21,170 No Kirk, Paul D MA $0 No Klobuchar, Amy D MN $2,290 Yes Kohl, Herbert D WI $0 Yes Kyl, Jon R AZ $117,350 No Landrieu, Mary D LA $89,550 No Lautenberg, Frank D NJ $97,550 No Leahy, Patrick D VT $46,600 Yes LeMieux, George R FL $0 Yes Levin, Carl D MI $1,000 No Lieberman, Joseph I CT $199,540 No Lincoln, Blanche D AR $100,750 Yes Lugar, Richard R IN $51,850 No McCain, John R AZ $7,000 Yes McCaskill, Claire D MO $6,050 Yes McConnell, Mitch R KY $225,900 Yes Menéndez, Robert D NJ $196,452 No Merkley, Jeff D OR $18,500 Yes Mikulski, Barbara D MD $70,995 No Murkowski, Lisa R AK $63,050 Yes Murray, Patty D WA $144,400 No Nelson, Ben D NE $138,098 Yes Nelson, Bill D FL $38,600 Yes Pryor, Mark D AR $31,000 Yes Reed, John D RI $34,100 No Reid, Harry D NV $74,800 No Risch, James R ID $22,100 Yes Roberts, Pat R KS $80,650 No Rockefeller, John D WV $44,000 No Sanders, Bernard I VT $420 Yes Schumer, Charles D NY $54,900 No Sessions, Jefferson R AL $45,000 Yes Shaheen, Jeanne D NH $2,250 Yes Shelby, Richard R AL $25,000 Yes Snowe, Olympia R ME $4,000 Yes Specter, Arlen D PA $353,550 Yes Stabenow, Debbie Ann D MI $39,134 Yes Tester, Jon D MT $14,000 No Thune, John R SD $45,300 Yes Udall, Mark D CO $102,275 No Udall, Tom D NM $15,300 Yes Vitter, David R LA $17,050 Yes Voinovich, George R OH $63,750 No Warner, Mark D VA $84,950 No Webb, Jim D VA $8,750 Yes Whitehouse, Sheldon D RI $11,800 No Wicker, Roger R MS $67,600 Yes Wyden, Ron D OR $27,800 Yes

Methodology:

Campaign contributions data provided by the Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets Open Data, and includes PAC and individual contributions from pharmaceutical manufacturing interests. Date range of contributions: January 1, 2003 - August 12, 2009. Contributions to the presidential campaigns of Senators are not included.