what is java's System.currentTimeMillis() in python

[neoedmund]

    /**
     * Returns the current time in milliseconds.  Note that
     * while the unit of time of the return value is a millisecond,
     * the granularity of the value depends on the underlying
     * operating system and may be larger.  For example, many
     * operating systems measure time in units of tens of
     * milliseconds.
     *
     * <p> See the description of the class <code>Date</code> for
     * a discussion of slight discrepancies that may arise between
     * "computer time" and coordinated universal time (UTC).
     *
     * @return  the difference, measured in milliseconds, between
     *          the current time and midnight, January 1, 1970 UTC.
     * @see     java.util.Date
     */
    public static native long currentTimeMillis();

python's time.clock() time.time() return a float,
i think it's not as handy as java's currentTimeMillis()
any good solution? thanks.