McCain will return to the Senate on Tuesday for crucial votes

WASHINGTON – Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will return to the upper chamber Tuesday for a series of critical votes, according to a Monday evening statement released by McCain’s office.

“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,” the statement said.

McCain, 80, revealed through his office Wednesday night that he has been diagnosed with brain cancer. He has a glioblastoma, one of the most common brain tumors but also one of the deadliest.

He could potentially cast the deciding vote to determine whether the GOP health care bill moves forward.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is struggling to garner the 50 votes necessary to bring the legislation to the floor for a vote.

Two GOP senators have said they are opposed to advancing the legislation. The upper chamber’s 46 Democrats and two independent members oppose repealing Obamacare.

Should McCain vote in favor of the motion to proceed, Republicans likely would have enough votes to advance legislation.

It is unclear if the Senate would then vote on a clean repeal bill or repeal and replacement legislation.

In either scenario, the upper chamber would first proceed to consider the House-approved health care bill. 

President Donald Trump, who has decried what he considers Senate Republican inaction on health care reform, subtly pressured lawmakers in a series of Tuesday morning Tweets.

Trump – who, during his campaign, had mocked the former Navy pilot, saying he wasn’t a war hero because he was captured in Vietnam – also tweeted praise for McCain.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/889794300913045508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talkmedianews.com%2Fcongress%2F2017%2F07%2F25%2Fmccain-will-return-to-the-senate-on-tuesday%2F

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/889796918615920640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talkmedianews.com%2Fcongress%2F2017%2F07%2F25%2Fmccain-will-return-to-the-senate-on-tuesday%2F

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/889798407228989441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.talkmedianews.com%2Fcongress%2F2017%2F07%2F25%2Fmccain-will-return-to-the-senate-on-tuesday%2F

This article is republished with permission from Talk Media News