Not that I ever thought badly of him.
By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 25, 2004; Page A23
Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.) threatened yesterday to hold up the nomination of Mark McClellan to run the federal Medicare program because they are frustrated by his refusal as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration to permit importation of lower-cost medicines from Canada.
Speaking to governors at a meeting on Capitol Hill, McCain said the pair will stall McClellan's nomination to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services "until there's a full and complete explanation of why he will not make prescription drugs from Canada available to Americans." He and congressional allies also intend to use parliamentary maneuvers to force votes in the Senate on the volatile issue, he said.
Also yesterday, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle (D) announced that his state -- in defiance of the FDA -- will launch an Internet site this week to steer residents to a limited number of Canadian mail-order pharmacies that Wisconsin officials deem safe and reliable.
At a separate meeting, FDA Associate Commissioner Peter Pitts said the agency has no intention of backing off its aggressive pursuit of cities and states that promote illegal drug importation. "We're not going to go away," he said.