McCain To Return To Senate Tuesday For Vote To Proceed On Obamacare Repeal

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, during the committee's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy hearing. (AP P... Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, during the committee's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy hearing. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) MORE LESS
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Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) will return to the Senate in time to vote on the motion to proceed to debate on a bill to repeal Obamacare after undergoing surgery and being diagnosed with brain cancer.

“Senator McCain looks forward to returning to the United States Senate tomorrow to continue working on important legislation, including health care reform, the National Defense Authorization Act, and new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea,” McCain’s office said in a statement Monday night.

Without McCain in Washington, D.C., to back a proceed to Obamacare repeal, Senate GOP leaders would have only been able to lose one member of their caucus on that vote. McCain’s return to the Capitol should make it easier for the GOP to proceed to a vote-a-rama on health care this week, though it’s still unclear that they have the votes.

Republican senators said Monday evening that they had been discussing the potential for McCain to return to the Capitol in time for the vote. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has scheduled the vote on the motion to proceed for Tuesday, but it’s still not clear which bill or bills senators will take a vote on after they agree to debate.

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