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Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Twenty-Four Judicial Nominees, Five Bipartisan Bills to Lower Prescription Drug Costs

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced twenty-four judicial nominations, as well as five bipartisan bills to help lower prescription drug prices to the full Senate.
 
“The judicial nominees advanced to the full Senate today build upon our Committee’s progress confirming highly qualified judges,” said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.  “I look forward to my colleagues in the full Senate having the opportunity to vote to confirm these nominees who will bring balance and impartiality to our justice system.”
 
Durbin continued, “The legislation we advanced today will help lower prescription drug costs for families and get crucial medications to those who need it – whether it’s from improving coordination between agencies, bringing generic drugs to market more quickly, or fostering competition in the pharmaceutical industry. Americans should not have to choose between filling a prescription and buying groceries or paying utility bills. Particularly, I appreciate that each bill advanced today was bipartisan, exemplifying the potential for our Committee to continue working together to make progress on pocketbook issues facing the American people.”
 
The following nominees advanced with the indicated vote totals:
 
  1. Nancy G. Abudu, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit: 11-10;
  2. Rachel Bloomekatz, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit: 11-10;
  3. Anthony Devos Johnstone, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; 11-10;
  4. Julie Rikelman, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit: 11-10;
  5. Robert Stewart Ballou, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia: 16-5;
  6. Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York: 11-10;
  7. Jessica G.L. Clarke, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York: 11-10;
  8. Todd E. Edelman, to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia: 11-10;
  9. Kymberly Kathryn Evanson, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington: 12-9;
  10. Gordon P. Gallagher, to be United States District Judge for the District of Colorado: 14-7;
  11. Jonathan James Canada Grey, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan: 13-8;
  12. Dale E. Ho, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York: 11-10;
  13. Myong J. Joun, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts: 12-9;
  14. Kenly Kiya Kato, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California: 11-10;
  15. Julia E. Kobick, to be United States District Judge for the District of Massachusetts: 11-10;
  16. Colleen R. Lawless, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of Illinois: 14-7;
  17. Rita F. Lin, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California: 12-9;
  18. Natasha Merle, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York: 11-10;
  19. P. Casey Pitts, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California: 12-9;
  20. Ramon Ernesto Reyes, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of New York: 11-1;
  21. Andrew G. Schopler, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California: 15-6;
  22. James Edward Simmons, Jr., to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of California: 13-8;
  23. Arun Subramanian, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York: 16-5; and
  24. Hernan D. Vera, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California: 11-10.
 
The following bills advanced to the full Senate by voice vote:
 
  1. S. 79, Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2023 to amend title 35, United States Code, to establish an interagency task force between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Food and Drug Administration for purposes of sharing information and providing technical assistance with respect to patents. The bill was introduced by Senators Durbin and Tillis and is cosponsored by Senators Grassley, Coons, Welch, and Feinstein.
  2. S. 113, Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2023, as amended, to require the Federal Trade Commission to study the role of intermediaries in the pharmaceutical supply chain and provide Congress with appropriate policy recommendations. The bill was introduced by Senators Grassley and Cantwell and is cosponsored by Senators Blumenthal, Lankford, Blackburn, Tuberville, Tillis, Capito, Braun, Boozman, Welch, Coons, Hirono, and Feinstein.
  3. S. 142, Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act, as amended, to prohibit brand name drug companies from compensating generic drug companies to delay the entry of a generic drug into the market, and to prohibit biological product manufacturers from compensating biosimilar and interchangeable companies to delay the entry of biosimilar biological products and interchangeable biological products. The bill was introduced by Senators Klobuchar and Grassley and is cosponsored by Senators Durbin, Cramer, Blumenthal, Kelly, Van Hollen, Booker, Ossoff, and Ernst.
  4. S. 148, Stop STALLING Act, as amended, to enable to Federal Trade Commission to deter filing of sham citizen petitions to cover an attempt to interfere with approval of a competing generic drug or biosimilar, to foster competition, and facilitate the efficient review of petitions filed in good faith to raise legitimate public health concerns. The bill was introduced by Senators Klobuchar and Grassley and is cosponsored by Senators Durbin, Braun, Blumenthal, Cruz, Booker, and Ossoff.
  5. S. 150, Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2023 to amend the Federal Trade Commission Act to prohibit product hopping. The bill was introduced by Senators Cornyn and Blumenthal and is cosponsored by Senators Grassley, Durbin, Cruz, and Klobuchar.
 
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