S. 2161: Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-07-18 · 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 2019-07-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] · 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

Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act of 2019

Plain summary

Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act of 2019 This bill establishes a reciprocal marketing approval process that allows for the sale of a drug, biological product, or medical device that has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) if the product is approved for sale in another country and there is an unmet need. Specifically, the bill requires the product's sponsor to demonstrate, among other things, that their product has been approved in one of the specified countries, the FDA and listed countries have not withdrawn approval because of safety or effectiveness concerns, and there is a public health or unmet medical need for the product. The FDA may only decline approval if the FDA determines that the product is not safe or effective. The FDA must make such a determination not later than 30 days after receiving a request. Congress may pass a joint resolution to grant reciprocal marketing approval of a product that the FDA declines to approve through the reciprocal process.

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

Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ron Johnson (R-WI), Mike Lee (R-UT), Joni Ernst (R-IA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] reported raising $12.4 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).
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

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-116s2161.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s2161 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116