William Pryor: “This Senator looks forward to working with him on this matter. We also would like to respond by saying that we hope when…”

“This Senator looks forward to working with him on this matter. We also would like to respond by saying that we hope when the Senator offers an amendment or language in this field, that it will not be a lawyers relief amendment, which the substitute amendment very clearly is in fact and in effect. It would tie up the marketplace in litigation with impossible definitions and insuperable barriers for years and years. Speaking of expedited procedure, I have been trying since January to get on the floor and have a vote on this amendment--just a simple vote with an hour or 30 minutes equally divided, whether up or down or to table the amendment. But for some reason or another, some of my colleagues on the other side, including some of my very best friends, have prevented this all year. Before we move forward and before the final vote is cast on this DOD authorization bill, this Senator is going to get a vote on our amendment. We think that it should be voted on. We think that is only fair. And I am going to push for a vote on this proposal on the DOD authorization bill. The Senator from Pennsylvania probably knows that the Department of Defense buys $900 million worth of prescription drugs every year for servicemen and servicewomen all over the world. They can save $30 million overnight by the passage of the amendment that my colleagues and I have proposed.”