Hill Watching, May 21st, 2008 - FDA Approval & Firefighter Health

Busy day in House and Senate yesterday as they worked on override of the President's veto of the Farm Bill (which contains many provisions from Food Stamp Program - to subsidies to farmers - to international food aid and much more), and did work on the budget for next fiscal year, as well as an emergency supplemental bill to provide additional funds for the War (which are running out sooner than earlier projected).

So very few bills introduced, but this is one to allow conditional approval of drugs or devices for those who are seriously ill:

By Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. COLEMAN, Mr. SPECTER, and Mr. INHOFE):
S. 3046. A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to create a new conditional approval system for drugs, biological products, and devices that is responsive to the needs of seriously ill patients, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Source: GPO [S4621]


And in the House, a bill to provide long-term health monitoring services to firefighters who responded to certain disaster area emergencies:

By Mr. BACA:
H.R. 6112. A bill to provide for the monitoring of the long-term medical health of firefighters who responded to emergencies in certain disaster areas and for the treatment of such firefighters; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Source: GPO [H4453]