Republican Congressman W.J. “Billy” Tauzin of Louisiana has announced he will not seek a 13th term in office and will vacate the chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee effective Feb. 16. Tauzin is expected to take a job heading the lobbying giant Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which is the trade group that represents drug giants including Pfizer and Merck & Co. Tauzin was one of the principal authors of the Medicare prescription drug bill, which included several provisions expected to vastly expand the market for prescription drugs among the elderly. In addition the Washington Post reports the law bars the federal government from directly bargaining down the price of drugs, a provision the pharmaceutical lobby called for.