Ted Kennedy Returns To Senate For First Time Since Brain Tumor

The liberal lion, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), returned to the Senate Wednesday to break a stalemate on critical stalled Medicare legislation, making his first appearance on the Hill since he was diagnosed with brain cancer two months ago

CNN reported earlier that the return was in doubt because his family was concerned the travel would be too strenuous.

Senate Republicans have been stalling legislation that would reverse a cut in doctors' Medicare fees by reducing payments to insurance companies. Earlier, in an unusual move, House Republicans defied their leadership and supported the Democratic measure.

In addition to Kennedy's vote, several Republican Senators switched their votes and the legislation moved past a procedural hurdle, 69-23. Sen. John McCain skipped the vote.

"Senator Kennedy showed again today why he is so beloved in our Senate family, why he is the model of public service and an American icon," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a statement. "We knew that Senator Kennedy - one of the greatest fighters this body has ever seen - would rise to the challenge and return to work, and what more appropriate time for him to do so than in an effort to protect seniors' and veterans' health care."

Here's video of Kennedy's return:

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The Hill reported on Kennedy's critical vote:

The 76-year-old senator entered the Senate through the first-floor entrance. The longtime chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee underwent successful brain surgery at Duke University Medical Center on June 2 and has been undergoing cancer treatments in Massachusetts for the tumor.

Kennedy was greeted on the Senate floor by a long, sustained burst of applause from other senators and public visitors watching from the gallery.

His vote on the measure is critical; the Senate fell one vote short of the needed 60 on June 26 when considering the bill that would have prevented a scheduled 10.6 percent cut to physicians who treat Medicare patients.

Wearing a dark suit and a wide grin, Kennedy gave a grand gesture during the Medicare roll-call vote.

"Aye," he said, to laughter.

Kennedy looked fine and fit, shaking hands with a crowd of senators. His white hair was largely intact and perhaps even longer than before his absence.

UPDATE: Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) puts out a statement ripping McCain: "Senator Kennedy managed to make it back from treatment for cancer, but Senator McCain couldn't be bothered. Senator McCain, who wants to be our next President, has skipped this vote three times now. Clearly, he'd rather hide than face up to the insurance industry. You can do that when you're in the U.S. Senate, maybe voters should leave him there."

Comments

[MonicaL]

I hear the Kopechne family is SOOO pleased that Teddy's recovering nicely.

[VivaZapata]

Roar on, lion!

[buggedabouttheus]

Good to see the Senator in the well of the Senate. God Bless him.

Rep. Pete Stark is a funny guy.

[ggmome]

OH the FORKED TONGUES, which talk out of both sides of their mouths, you are a miracle of afflictions. Are you the one's who spoke ill of Ted and his brothers and family all these years?

Ted, I LOVE YOU!

[Mij13]

Stay well Senator Kennedy! We need you.

[BEHM777]

Glad to have you back Senator Kennedy.

BEHusseinM777

[530Rose]

Senator Kennedy has been consistently true to progressive politics. He has been repeatedly elected to the US senate, and is well loved by his constituents and fellow democrats. He has never wavered. Barack, are you paying attention?

[rachaelis4]

What does that last part of your remark mean? Kennedy couldn't get elected as President...he apparently wasn't THAT well loved. And I adore Senator Kennedy--he has done tremendous work to advance fair and better treatment for those of us who are lucky enough to have health insurance. Barack has a way better chance than Kennedy had in 1980,

[robertsandimas]

Your response to 530Rose was unnecessary and pointless. It's crap like this that just muddies up meaningful dialog. Stop it.

[AurigaRa]

glad he could make it and cast his vote
Too bad it took attention away from destroying the 4th Amendment. We could do Medicare later.

[LeeScho]

No, we can do the 4th Amendment later when Obama is president and his Executive Order tells all of the intelligence agencies to cease and desist from their spying on American citizens and Feingold sponsors a bill to ensure it that a majority Democratic congress approves and Obama signs into law.

Medicare could not wait another day. Millions of senior citizens would have been abandoned by their doctors, who could not tolerate a 10.6 percent cut in their already paltry medicare fees.

If it were a legitimate choice between the 4th Amendment or Medicare, I would have chosen the 4th Amendment. But it is not. We can and should have both. So suck it up, idelogues and armchair social activists. Queue up to the social change line and wait your turn. And try not to do in the senior citizen in front of you. You are not likely to ever pay the dues that they have.

[Spiriteddona]

I was just thinking about Teddy, aloud, on my Democratic blog, the other morning. great, Teddy!
Pro hil, tho.
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2559101/7672083

my accapello rap pro hil
trib to tina fey!

[madprogressive]

Welcome back Teddie!!! We need you for the fight ahead.

[bayside]

Thank you Senator...Ted just had a brain operation and he showed up, where was MCain..Searching for a new job and not doing the job he is being paid for. If I did that I would be fired...

[dana94591]

May the lion continue to ROAR for a long time coming!!!

[frappe]

I am so glad that Ted Kennedy cast the vote that put an end to the Obstructionist Party (aka Republican) filibuster of the Medicare Bill. If Senate Democrats (and some Republican Senators who value their careers) were unable to stop the Medicare cut in payments to Doctors, it would have seriously harmed Medicare as a viable entity. (The Republicans want to give everything to private health insurers who form the basis of our existing dysfunction health care insurance system.)

Will we ever see the day of a "Single Payer (U.S. taxpayer pool) Universal Health Care" system? It would be far less expensive than the current "private insurance models" and everyone would be covered and treated equally, and with dignity. And it's not "free" as the Republicans might have you believe. It would be a fully paid for system where every citizen has a stake in the product by virtue of his or her taxes. Health care should be considered a fundamental right and not optional depending upon one's ability to pay. And each and every American should be covered from "cradle to grave".

[southafrica4obama]

Welcome. Time to retire, sir.

[CaptainVideo]

I hope that the Obama campaign is alert enough to do an ad about how McCain shirked his duty again while Kennedy showed up.

[Fergie13]

Where was Sen Kennedy's vote regarding the FISA bill (and that pesky little thing called the 4th amendment) ? Hmmm?

[live by the golden rule]

If you are going to criticize such a heroic action, you need to pay better attention.
Unfortunately, the FISA vote wasn't close enough for one vote to save it [or the pressure on Obama would have been intense].
Senator Kennedy's vote was needed [they had 59 votes] to save Medicare and so, with great courage [no doubt his treatments leave him extremely sensitive to infections] he came.

[keepemhonest]

Captain Video - great idea!

[loax]

Of course mcBush could not be bothered. He is to busy slinging his b.s. Welcome back, Senator, it is good to have you there!