S. 124: Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-01-12 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-01-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act

Plain summary

Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to authorize the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to initiate proceedings against parties to any agreement resolving or settling a patent infringement claim in connection with the sale of a drug. Such an agreement, with specified exceptions, is presumed to have anticompetitive effects and is a violation of this bill if the filer of the abbreviated new drug (generic) application receives anything of value and agrees to limit or forego research, development, manufacturing, marketing, or sales of the generic drug. An agreement is exempted if the only consideration granted to the generic manufacturer is: (1) the right to market the generic drug prior to the expiration of any statutory exclusivity, (2) a payment for reasonable litigation expenses, or (3) a covenant not to sue on any claim that the generic drug infringes a patent. An entity subject to an FTC enforcement order may petition for the order be reviewed in federal court. Civil penalties are imposed for violations of this bill. This bill amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to require a brand name manufacturer and generic manufacturer to submit to the FTC any other agreements the parties enter into within 30 days of entering into an agreement related to the manufacturing, marketing, sale, or exclusivity period of a drug. This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to forfeit the 180-day exclusivity period for a generic drug if the FTC or a court decides that an agreement violated this bill. The FTC is granted exclusive authority to litigate matters relating to anticompetitive practices in connection with the sale of generic drugs. The FTC may not commence enforcement actions (other than cease and desist requests) more than six years after the FTC is notified of an agreement.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Exemption: A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s124.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s124 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115