Washington
10 July 2008
Senator Ted Kennedy, battling brain cancer, surprised Senate colleaguesWednesday when he returned to the chamber to cast a decisive vote ongovernment health care legislation for the elderly and disabled, knownas Medicare. His vote was key to passing the measure, which had longbeen stalled amid partisan gridlock. VOA's Deborah Tate reports fromCapitol Hill.
It was a moment of drama as Senator Kennedyentered the chamber, prompting applause from Democrats and Republicansalike on the Senate floor and cheers from spectators up in the gallery.
Itwas his first time back to the Senate since he was diagnosed with amalignant brain tumor following a seizure at his home in Massachusettsin May. Since then, he has undergone surgery and is now gettingchemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Kennedy walked into thechamber accompanied by Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama,fellow Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, and Kennedy's son, CongressmanPatrick Kennedy of Rhode Island. He cast his vote and soon after leftto return to Massachusetts to continue his cancer treatment.
SenatorKay Bailey Hutchison, a Texas Republican, took note of the moment. "Wehave had a very dramatic moment here on the floor of the Senate, and Ithink there wasn't a person in the room or the gallery who wasn'tthrilled to see Senator Kennedy back and looking so good, to do what healways does, and that is have the commitment and go the extra mile tokeep that commitment," she said.
Kennedy's dramatic return was key to clearing the way for passage of the Medicare bill.
Republicans,including Senator Hutchison, had criticized Democratic leaders for notallowing the measure to be amended, and had blocked the bill fromadvancing on the Senate floor. Under Senate rules, 60 votes areneeded in the 100-member chamber to overcome the roadblock. The billreceived the support of only 59 senators in a procedural vote lastmonth.
When Republicans learned that Kennedy's vote wouldadvance the legislation, some of them joined Democrats to support themove - a fitting tribute to Kennedy, who is known as a champion ofhealth care, among other social issues.
Senator ClaireMcCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, announced the vote as she presidedover the Senate. "The yeas are 69, the nays are 30. Three-fifths ofthe senators duly chosen and sworn, having voted in the affirmative,the motion is agreed to."
Under a previous agreement, once the bill met the 60-vote threshold, it was considered approved.