A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday introduced a prescription drug reimportation bill with "high hopes for success, given the new congressional leadership and political climate on Capitol Hill," CongressDaily reports. The legislation -- sponsored by Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Reps. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) -- would establish a regulatory framework for pharmacies and wholesalers to reimport FDA-approved prescription drugs from FDA-approved manufacturing facilities in certain industrialized nations. In addition, the bill would require FDA to regulate shipments of prescription drugs reimported into the U.S. for commercial or personal use. Bill sponsors expect broad support for the legislation in the Senate and House. According to CongressDaily, the "biggest question mark hangs on a possible presidential veto and, if so, whether the Congress can override it." Emanuel said that the House is "within striking distance" of the number of votes required to override a veto of the bill, and Dorgan said that he hopes the Senate will approve the bill by an "overwhelming" margin. Bill sponsors maintain that prescription drug reimportation would open the prescription drug market to international competition and reduce prices. However, according to the pharmaceutical industry, led by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, prescription drug reimportation poses a safety risk (Lee, CongressDaily, 1/10).