A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and cosmetic Act to permit importation in personal baggage and through mail order of certain covered products for personal use from Canada, and for other purposes.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on HELP.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jul 29, 1999

Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promulgate regulations permitting individuals to import into the United States from Canada, in personal baggage or through mail order, prescription drugs for personal use.Allows importation of such product if: (1) the intended use is appropriately identified; (2) the product is not considered to represent a significant health risk; and (3) the individual seeking to import the product affirms that it is for personal use, seeks only to import enough for personal use, describes the product and identifies its importer, and provides the name and address of a licensed health professional responsible for treatment with the product or provides evidence that the product continues a treatment begun in a foreign country.Requires the Secretary to study and report to Congress on such permitted imports.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Jeffords, James M. [R-VT] · R–VT

Committees

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Snowe, Olympia J. [R-ME]

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jul 29, 1999
Read twice and referred to the Committee on HELP.
Jul 29, 1999
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9755-9756)
Jul 29, 1999
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Jul 29, 1999 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Feb 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.1462 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1462, 106th Congress: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and cosmetic Act to permit importation in personal baggage and through mail order of certain covered products for personal use from Canada, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/1462

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1999-07-29.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/s1462/BILLS-106s1462is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-02-10T13:38:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.1462 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1462 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1462, 106th Congress: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and cosmetic Act to permit importation in personal baggage and through mail order of certain covered products for personal use from Canada, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/1462

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1999-07-29.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/s1462/BILLS-106s1462is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-02-10T13:38:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1462 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1462 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1462, 106th Congress: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and cosmetic Act to permit importation in personal baggage and through mail order of certain covered products for personal use from Canada, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/1462

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1999-07-29.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/s1462/BILLS-106s1462is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-02-10T13:38:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1462 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.1462 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.1462, 106th Congress: A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and cosmetic Act to permit importation in personal baggage and through mail order of certain covered products for personal use from Canada, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/106th-congress/senate-bill/1462

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1999-07-29.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/106/bills/s1462/BILLS-106s1462is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-02-10T13:38:48Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1462 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.