Even as former Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., helps to lead the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in another multi-million ad drive to pass health care reform legislation, he is busy looking ahead to the future when he departs PhRMA this June and is eyeing launching a Washington consulting firm, possibly with one or more of his sons.

In a twenty-minute phone interview, Tauzin said that he will "probably be doing some consulting. A number of the drug companies have indicated an interest in working with me. I'm not leaving town."

Tauzin added that he's intrigued at the possibility of building a consulting business that might include some of his sons--one of whom is now a lobbyist with the Capitol Hill Consulting Group --much as his old friends, former Sens. John Breaux, D-La., and Trent Lott, R-Miss., have done at their firm the Breaux Lott Leadership Group. Further if he opts to launch a new firm, Tauzin said it might also do some lobbying, but stressed that he's still "ruminating" about different options including job feelers he's received from several law firms in town.

"I've got a lot of feelers from most of the big law firms." One thing that Tauzin is certain about though as he looks ahead to life after PhRMA is that he "wants the flexibility to do some very important work" back in Louisiana to protect New Orleans from future hurricanes like Katrina. Tauzin has had a number of conversations in recent weeks with old friends from the Bayou state including Breaux and Democratic strategists James Carville and Donna Brazile about the possibility of making New Orleans "water proof" via a large scale reengineering and architecture project.

"There are ways to reengineer the city...What I'm talking about is giving it a chance to survive and protecting it from drowning," when big hurricanes hit New Orleans in future years. Later this week, Tauzin is flying out the West Coast to meet with friends in Hollywood with whom he has also discussed his project. "I have no doubt that Hollywood will rally around this."

Although he's clearly contemplating the future with excitement, PhRMA and Tauzin remain embroiled in the fight over passing health care legislation. A new multi million ad blitz in 43 districts of potential swing Democrats began today by Americans for Stable Quality Care, a broad coalition that PhRMA has helped bankroll over the last year which includes the American Medical Association and Families USA.

Under his tenure, PhRMA has spent well over $100 million on ad drives backing health care reform legislation, a strategy that grew out of a deal Tauzin struck with the White House and key Democrats in the Senate that's provoked some criticism from parts of the drug industry. Early this year, Tauzin announced he would be departing PhRMA after five years at its helm and a search is underway for a replacement. Tauzin earned $4.5 million in 2008, according to IRS documents.