Nation in brief: Senate moves on drug reimportation

The Senate cleared the way Thursday for the likely adoption of a measure that would legalize the reimportation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and other countries, a move supporters say would save consumers $50 billion over 10 years.

Ignoring a White House veto threat, lawmakers voted 63 to 28 to move to a final vote on adding the drug importation provision to a larger bill on the operations of the Food and Drug Administration.

A final vote on the provision is expected today, but the entire bill is not expected to come up for final approval until next week. The House has not yet taken up similar FDA legislation.

The provision would allow consumers to buy prescription drugs from Canada and permit commercial distributors to obtain them from Canada, Japan, Austria, Switzerland and other European Union nations. Any imported drugs would have to be FDA-approved, manufactured in facilities inspected by the FDA and carry documentation about the chain of custody of the drugs.

Washington

Secret Service protecting Obama

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama was placed under Secret Service protection, the earliest ever for a presidential candidate, the agency said Thursday.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff authorized Obama’s protection after consultations with the bipartisan congressional advisory committee, according to Chertoff spokesman Russ Knocke and the Secret Service.

Obama, who frequently draws crowds in the thousands at campaign stops, requested the protection.

Obama’s rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., has a Secret Service detail that is provided to all former first ladies.

New York

Cabbies protecting stray voltage areas

Utility crews have discovered so many stray voltage areas where pedestrians walk that Consolidated Edison Inc. has hired hundreds of cab drivers to park and stand guard until repairs are done.

More than 1,900 hot spots with stray current – manholes, grates or other items that can deliver shocks – were found last year by roving vans as part of a safety program prompted by the 2004 electrocution of a woman walking her dogs.

The utility has been unable to guard all the areas with its own vehicles, so in the past six months it has turned to livery cab drivers for help, company spokesman Chris Olert said Thursday.

The drivers park near marked-off danger spots. Placards on their cars explain that the area contains “an extremely dangerous electrified object or structure” and the driver is there to guard it from pedestrians.

“It’s an efficient way to protect the public,” said Olert, noting that it might cost more to hire someone else – say, a security guard – to stand vigil.