# Frist sneaks pharmaceutical provision into DEFENSE Appropriations Bill **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 9, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750 "2006-02-09T22:23:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/1 "2006-02-09T22:23:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and House Speaker Dennis Hastert engineered a [backroom legislative maneuver](http://www.gallatinnewsexaminer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060209/NEWS02/602090405/1309/MTCN04) to protect pharmaceutical companies from lawsuits, say witnesses to the pre-Christmas power play. > > The language was tucked into a Defense Department appropriations bill at the last minute without the approval of members of a House-Senate conference committee, say several witnesses, including a top Republican staff member. I’m sure the thousands of dollars Frist has received in campaign contributions from Pharmaceutical lobbyists had absolutely nothing to do with his involvement in this. Nope. Not in the least bit. :rolleyes: I’m sure Weirddave will be along any minute now to condemn this undemocratic and underhanded move by the Republican leadership like he did with the [Dems In Maryland](Dems in Maryland), right? ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/2 "2006-02-09T22:48:53Z")
I don’t understand why Congress is run like this. Isn’t it bad if you have to attach riders to some totally unrelated bill to get your pet project through? Is this something the Congress itself has to change or would it require an amendment? ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/3 "2006-02-09T23:28:23Z")
It would be easy enough for either house of congress to prohibit their leadership from unilaterally adding unrelated riders into bills. All it would take is just a bare majority to vote in the rule change. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/4 "2006-02-09T23:35:18Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > It would be easy enough for either house of congress to prohibit their leadership from unilaterally adding unrelated riders into bills. All it would take is just a bare majority to vote in the rule change. Good luck with that. Neither side of the aisle wants to eliminate something they have used to get legislation past the watchdogs. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/5 "2006-02-09T23:37:04Z")
**Blalron** , your ‘Dems in Maryland’ link isn’t working. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/6 "2006-02-09T23:39:13Z")
[Fixed Maryland link.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=357104) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/7 "2006-02-09T23:43:22Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > It would be easy enough for either house of congress to prohibit their leadership from unilaterally adding unrelated riders into bills. All it would take is just a bare majority to vote in the rule change. Actually, if the Democrats ever decided to put together a broad campaign platform similar to the Republican _Contract on America_ from a decade ago, tightening up the legislative process to prevent out of place riders (and, to my mind, the worse crime of sliding new legislation into the conference committee bills that attempt to reconcile Senate and House language on same-topic bills), I thik that they could make a strong case for votes. Whether the Democrats have what it takes to give up such back-door legislation (at either level) given that they hope to return to power _some_ day, would be a totally different issue. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/8 "2006-02-09T23:50:59Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > I’m sure the thousands of dollars Frist has received in campaign contributions from Pharmaceutical lobbyists had absolutely nothing to do with his involvement in this… It most likely did - and it’s disgusting. But so too is the amount of payola the trial lawyers invest in fighting any and all tort reform proposals. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/9 "2006-02-10T01:52:27Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > I’m sure Weirddave will be along any minute now to condemn this undemocratic and underhanded move by the Republican leadership like he did with the [Dems In Maryland](Dems in Maryland), right? Why wouldn’t I? My pitting in the Maryland case was about the action, not the party, something that partisan idiots have a hard time understanding. Some of us actually look at the issues and fucking think about them instead of going along like good little sheeple because that’s what the party says to do. I am puzzled why you think (as you seemed to imply in your OP) that I wouldn’t condemn Senator Frist in this instance. I condemn the entire fucking U.S. Congress, because this garbage is their favorite sport, Democrat or Republican. If you really want to address this issue, why not start with Senator Byrd, hmm? He wears pigskin loafers that actually oink with each step he takes, or is this shit just eeeeeeeeevil when it’s a Republican doing it? Things like this make me really wish that Clinton had gotten the line item veto…well, he got it but the Supremes struck it down in a moment of stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/10 "2006-02-10T01:59:47Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > Why wouldn’t I? My pitting in the Maryland case was about the action, not the party, something that partisan idiots have a hard time understanding. Some of us actually look at the issues and fucking think about them instead of going along like good little sheeple because that’s what the party says to do. I am puzzled why you think (as you seemed to imply in your OP) that I wouldn’t condemn Senator Frist in this instance. I condemn the entire fucking U.S. Congress, because this garbage is their favorite sport, Democrat or Republican. If you really want to address this issue, why not start with Senator Byrd, hmm? He wears pigskin loafers that actually oink with each step he takes, or is this shit just eeeeeeeeevil when it’s a Republican doing it? Things like this make me really wish that Clinton had gotten the line item veto…well, he got it but the Supremes struck it down in a moment of stupidity. I missed where you specifically condemned Frist. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/11 "2006-02-10T02:07:25Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I missed where you specifically condemned Frist. You must not be reading very carefully then. > [@me](#): > > I condemn the entire fucking U.S. Congress ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/12 "2006-02-10T02:17:43Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > You must not be reading very carefully then. Too vague and too easy. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/13 "2006-02-10T02:23:10Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Too vague and too easy. Huh? What are you doing, feeding me straight lines? (i.e. The only thing easy around here is your mother-or words to that effect, etc, etc…) Not sure what you mean here. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/14 "2006-02-10T03:51:27Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > …snip > > (and, to my mind, the worse crime of sliding new legislation into the conference committee bills that attempt to reconcile Senate and House language on same-topic bills) The pharm legislation is bad enough, sort of generic pork… I’m apalled the way they slipped this in, _after_ all of Congress voted on their respective versions. It astounds me the lack of scruples these days, even for bottom-feeding politicians. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/15 "2006-02-10T03:52:30Z")
_appalled_ even… ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/16 "2006-02-10T04:01:07Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > I’m apalled the way they slipped this in, _after_ all of Congress voted on their respective versions. It astounds me the lack of scruples these days, even for bottom-feeding politicians. What are you talking about? Midnight Amendments are a time-honored Congressional tactic. I don’t know who started it, and don’t really care. Congress, irrespective of “parties,” needs to stop doing it. It is a major short-circuit (or an attempted one, anyway) of the democratic process. **World Eater:** if it’ll shut your gob, I’ll say it: Frist is a fucktard, with all the ethics of a…, a…,. a _politician._ Sorry. Can’t think of anything lower than a politician. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/17 "2006-02-10T04:06:22Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > What are you talking about? Midnight Amendments are a time-honored Congressional tactic. I don’t know who started it, and don’t really care. Congress, irrespective of “parties,” needs to stop doing it. It is a major short-circuit (or an attempted one, anyway) of the democratic process. > > **World Eater:** if it’ll shut your gob, I’ll say it: Frist is a fucktard, with all the ethics of a…, a…,. a _politician._ > > Sorry. Can’t think of anything lower than a politician. Correct me if I’m wrong, Midnight Amendments are slipped in at the last moment before the House or Senate votes, right? This was already voted on by both houses, and was just a committee reconciling the differences between the two. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/18 "2006-02-10T04:13:32Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > Correct me if I’m wrong, Midnight Amendments are slipped in at the last moment before the House or Senate votes, right? This was already voted on by both houses, and was just a committee reconciling the differences between the two. Sorry. Read the “last minute” part to mean “eleventh hour.” ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/19 "2006-02-10T04:48:32Z")
Not that they even pretend to abide by it, but the PA constitution requires that bills hew to their original goal/purpose/intent, effectively prohibiting the insertion of an unrelated amendment at the 11th hour. Are the honorable felchers of dead muskrats in Washington, DC impeded by any such common sense directive, or is that something like parsley on a dinnerplate-it’s there, but largely ignored? ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750/20 "2006-02-10T11:02:19Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > You must not be reading very carefully then. Well **World Eater** ’s complaint was: > [@World Eater](#): > > I missed where you specifically condemned Frist. Of which the key words are: > [@World Eater](#): > > specifically… Frist. Your reply, which you think shows a lack of reading thoroughness on **World Eater** ’s part, was: > [@Weirddave](#): > > I condemn the entire fucking U.S. Congress of which the key words are: > [@Weirddave](#): > > entire… Congress You and I and **World Eater** all know perfectly bloody well what the meaning of “specifically” is. The other amusing thing about your reply to him was, you railed against “partisan idiots”, presumably those who reserve their _specific_ ire against one or other political party, whilst at the same time moaning about Senator Byrd _specifically_. :rolleyes: (but the “entire congress” only _generally_ , by definition) If you truly believe Senator Frist is a tool, how hard is it to say the sentence “Senator Frist is a tool”? That is, really SAY it, not just imply it indirectly? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frist-sneaks-pharmaceutical-provision-into-defense-appropriations-bill/343750.md?page=2)