Posted At San Francisco Chronicle
BY : Terri Russel
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday he will urge Congress to pass legislation to legalize the importation of foreign prescription drugs.
But Democrats described the move as another flip-flop calculated to help Schwarzenegger as he seeks re-election.
Schwarzenegger has vetoed bills that would have created state-run Web sites directing people to Canadian pharmacies where lower-priced prescription drugs can be purchased. He also vetoed bills that would have allowed state agencies to buy Canadian drugs for programs such as the state's health insurance plan for the poor and assistance for people with AIDS, saying he would not sign bills that are illegal under federal law.
In a letter to congressional leaders that Schwarzenegger released Monday, the governor said that while he has urged action from the Bush administration, so far no progress has been made.
"Drug prices continue to escalate, and there is no evidence that the federal government has been able to bring more equity to the global pharmaceutical marketplace," Schwarzenegger's letter said.
Casey Young, a lobbyist for the California AARP, said the governor's move is appropriate. "Clearly (the letter) is a step in the right direction. The solution to this particular issue rests on the federal level."
Young said federal involvement is important because there are no safety requirements in place for importation of foreign drugs.
Democrats said Schwarzenegger's letter to Congress was too little, too late.
"While I appreciate the governor's election year interest in joining our efforts to make prescription drugs more affordable, the governor's letter looks like a publicity stunt to paint over his repeated vetoes of legislation that would have saved Californians 40 to 75 percent on prescription drugs,'' said Assemblyman Dario Frommer, D-Los Feliz (Los Angeles County), the author of two prescription drug bills.
Last week, Schwarzenegger proposed an increase in the minimum wage after previously vetoing legislation to boost pay rates for low-income hourly workers, prompting some Democrats to say he was changing his position for political gain.
