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Shaheen, Udall, McCain in Canada as Senate debates healthcare

By Jordan Fabian - 11/21/09 03:07 PM ET

Two Democratic senators and one Republican are spending the day at a conference in Canada while their chamber debates healthcare reform.

Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) attended an international security conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Meanwhile, senators in Washington D.C. debated healthcare reform legisation on a day when the upper chamber is scheduled to hold its fisr procedural vote on the bill.

McCain tweeted a photo of the Udall and him from the conference. They have been north of the border since yesterday:

Great trip Halifax with Sen Mark Udall and Sen Shaheen. The Canadians are great friends and allies! http://yfrog.com/4e57475197j

McCain is the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee and Udall sits on the committee. Shaheen sits on the Foreign Relations Committee. 

Senate Democrats need 60 votes to pass tonight's motion to proceed and clear the bill over its first major hurdle. Two holdout votes, centrist Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) both said they would support the motion. Calls to Udall and Shaheen's office went unanswered. 

PHOTO:


alt

Cross-posted to the Twitter Room

UPDATED 4:17 P.M.

Sen. Shaheen's office told The Hill that the senators returned to Washington at 3 p.m. today.

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/68979-shaheen-udall-mccain-in-canada-as-senate-debates-healthcare

Comments (4)

McCain wastes money and does nothing. He is a closet Democrat…and so is George Bush…that is why they are not taking on the Congress or Obama…they are part of the deal…don't you SEE IT?????BY rufus levin on 11/21/2009 at 16:34
Your correction is buried, if what is written is accurate, then this story should be pulled immediately, because the Senators are in fact present for the debate.BY Jim on 11/21/2009 at 17:35
That's right. I just saw McCain fumbling through his speech on the floor of the senate. That's why I turned the live coverage off until the democrats come back to the floor. McCain also reused Judd Gregg's line from this morning about how Bernie Madoff is in jail for using the kind of scams that are in the democrats' healthcare bill. McCain needs to come up with his own lines and stop stealing other people's material. Better yet, maybe he should try telling the truth for once in his lifetime instead of lying all the time. That would be better.BY Joanne from Maine on 11/21/2009 at 17:56
Joanne from Maine, I saw McCain,too. I shudder to think where our country would be with McCain in the White House. A Ship of State without a rudder. I've seen some of your comments today and I hope you will continue posting here. I've been doing it since there were only Rosencrans, Igor, and myself as regulars. The inmates are ruling the asylum on this site. I think the next big effort is to get better education if the level of the commentors here is any indication. Anyway, thanks for speaking up and I hope you'll continue doing so. Just don't expect facts to have much of a home here.BY Smilinjack on 11/21/2009 at 18:34

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