Senate OKs stripped-down version of bioterrorism bill

The Senate Thursday unanimously approved and sent to President Bush legislation authorizing more than $4 billion in new funding to prevent, detect and respond to a potential bioterrorist attack and renew for five years the law requiring brand-name drug makers to pay user fees to the Food and Drug Administration to speed the drug approval process.

The 98-0 vote came a day after the House approved the conference report, 425-1.

The Senate debate, like the House's a day before, highlighted the bipartisan comity that surrounded the bill, particularly on provisions aimed at protecting the nation's food and water supply.

But senators also expressed regret about provisions that failed to make the final cut. Health, Education, Labor and Pensions ranking member Judd Gregg, R-N.H., wanted a provision providing anti-trust exemption to vaccine manufacturers so they could discuss drug supplies and future needs with government agencies.

Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said he was sorry the bill left out user fees for medical device makers and a rule under which FDA could require drug makers to test their products on children.

The FDA threatened earlier this year to rescind the rule but subsequently reversed itself and left it in place. Kennedy said he planned to address the matter on a separate bill.