|
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) returned to the Senate Wednesday for the first time since he was diagnosed with brain cancer and gave Democrats an unexpected victory on stalled Medicare legislation.
In one of the most dramatic moments of the 110th Congress, Kennedy broke the stalemate on the high-profile bill that would avert a sharp cut in payments to doctors under Medicare. The bill had failed to advance on June 26 by one vote.
The patriarch of the Kennedy family entered the chamber, alongside Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (Ill.), to a rousing ovation from senators on both sides of the aisle, some of them tearing up. Greeted with hugs and handshakes, Kennedy, bearing a big smile, went to the well and declared loudly, “aye” in support of the legislation.
Democrats cheered loudly, and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) was seen blowing a kiss to the Republican side of the chamber.
After the vote, Democrats beamed and spoke of their deep admiration for Kennedy. “Everyone recognizes that was an act of courage,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said.
“I’ve been in the Senate for 27 years. I don’t quite remember another moment like it,” said Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.). “It was good to have the lion from Massachusetts back in the Senate.”
Doctors announced that Kennedy had brain cancer on May 20, after he was hospitalized in Massachusetts. He had surgery on June 2 and has been recovering in his home state since.
“Win, lose or draw, I wanted to be here. I wasn’t going to take the chance that my vote could make the difference,” Kennedy said in a statement.
In addition to Kennedy, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the GOP presidential candidate, also missed last month’s vote. Nine Republicans voted to advance the measure last month, and 39 voted to block it.
Kennedy’s presence Wednesday, along with the reality that Democrats had the votes lined up to move ahead, was enough to flip nine of the 39 Republicans who previously voted against the bill. The bill was approved by a 69-30 margin, more than enough to override an anticipated presidential veto.
But White House spokesman Tony Fratto said that threat was made by White House advisers and not President Bush. “The president will make the decision himself,” Fratto said in an e-mail to The Hill.
Even with Kennedy in the chamber, Republican leaders attempted to keep their party together and tried to persuade those GOP senators who did vote for the bill to reconsider in order to block Democrats.The fate of the bill was effectively sealed when Republican leaders failed to persuade Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski to switch her yes vote to no. When it was clear she wouldn’t, the floodgates opened.
|
