Cord Byrd: “the Snowe-Wyden amendment purports to create a reserve fund within the budget that could be used to allow the Federal…”

“the Snowe-Wyden amendment purports to create a reserve fund within the budget that could be used to allow the Federal Government to improve its negotiating position with respect to lowering the price of prescription drugs. I will vote in favor of this amendment because much more needs to be done to insure that Americans will not be forced to give up their medications because of rising prices. However, I know that a number of veterans in West Virginia are concerned about what a Governmentwide prescription drug negotiation program would mean to the prices of medicines dispensed through hospitals in the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are concerns that veterans would lose access to the medications they need at advantageous prices. It is important for West Virginians to understand that the Snowe- Wyden amendment does not have the force of law, and, even if it should be adopted today, the amendment would have no impact on the VA's ability to negotiate favorable drug prices for our veterans. Additional legislation would have to be passed by Congress and signed into law before any changes to the VA's prescription drug negotiating power could be made. I will continue to keep the concerns of West Virginia's veterans in mind should the Senate take up a debate on legislation that relates to the price of prescription drugs.”