S. 469: Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-02-28 · Health · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-02-28 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · 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 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 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

Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act

Plain summary

Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act This bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to promulgate regulations within 180 days permitting wholesalers, pharmacies, and individuals to import certain prescription drugs from Canada. The FDA, within two years, may permit the importation of prescription drugs from other countries. The bill establishes a process for certifying foreign sellers—a licensed foreign pharmacy or foreign wholesale distributor.

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

Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · 22 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 469, Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act (2017-07-31)

Cosponsors on this site

Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Margaret Wood Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] reported raising $26.5 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 (2)

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).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

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-115s469.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s469 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115