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Kennedy Returns to Senate for First Time Since Cancer Diagnosis, Breaks Filibuster
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ShareJuly 09, 2008 4:31 PM
ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Sen. Ted Kennedy, still with his mane of silver hair, but recovering from brain surgery and in the midst of chemotherapy treatments returned to the Capitol Building today to help Democrats break a Republican filibuster of a bill to keep a pay cut for Medicare doctors from going into effect.
The Senate chamber erupted in cheers and standing ovation as walked on the floor for the first time since May. Republicans walked across the aisle to shake his hand even as he voted to break their filibuster.
WATCH VIDEO OF THE KENNEDY'S RETURN TO THE SENATE HERE
It’s a fitting bill for Kennedy to return for. He is chairman of the Senate Committee that handles health policy and the bill deals with payments to doctors who treat Medicare payments. It's unclear if Sen. Kennedy is treated under Medicare himself, but at age 77, he would certainly qualify.
"Illness and age know no party boundaries," Kennedy said of his return and vote in a written statement. "The 44 million Americans who rely on Medicare to meet their health care needs are both Democrats and Republicans. Like all Americans, they have worked hard all their lives. They’ve raised their families. They’ve built our towns and cities and farmed the land. They’ve served in our military. We owe them so much for the part they have played in making America a great country. So today I proudly cast this important vote for them – a vote to keep the Medicare program strong and effective for the future."
After voting, Kennedy paused with is wife, Vicki, and son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-RI, on the Capitol steps to wave to supporters. He said "I'm feeling better," and that he would be "coming back to the Senate some time hopefully not too far away."
They nearly ran headlong into another Kennedy, Caroline, who was on Capitol Hill with Sen. Barack Obama, presumably as part of his vice presidential search team.
Back in the Capitol building, leaders from both parties were praising Kennedy for his return under duress.
"I’ve never seen a more moving minute then the time that Kennedy walked on the floor today," said the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid of Nevada.
"He surprised us all," said an emotional Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., one of Kennedy's closest friends in the Senate. "Ted’s not in the habit of listening to doctors. I’ve been here in the senate 27 years and I don’t recall a moment like this one."
Democrats fell one vote short of passing a Medicare bill last month. While the bill got bipartisan support in the House and passed overwhelmingly there, Republicans in the Senate wanted to put their mark on the bill and blocked it.
Senate Democrats had been trolling all week for another Republican to support the bill - 9 Republicans voting against the filibuster had brought them within one.
Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democrat in charge of counting votes, gave a speech on the Senate floor earlier today with a large poster, which read "1 vote."
"We need one more Republican vote," Durbin pleaded. "One more."
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid admonished his colleagues just before the cloture vote, "As I look across the aisle to my friends, the 60th vote is there," he said.
They ultimately got more than one. After Kennedy cast his vote and it became clear that Democrats could break the filibuster, ten Republicans who voted against the Medicare bill in June switched positions against the filibuster today.
"There was not a person who was not thrilled to see Sen. Kennedy back and looking so good," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Tex., who supported the filibuster in June but voted against it today.
The bill ultimately passed comfortable margin to overturn a promised veto from President Bush.
Republicans who oppose the bill say the Medicare bill will hurt private insurers who target those who qualify for Medicare. Democrats pay for stopping the 10.6 percent pay cut for Medicare doctors by cutting payments for Medicare Advantage, modeled as a market-based alternative to Medicare.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican Leader, said Republicans should not be blamed for cutting the doctors fees because Democrats won't agree to a short-term fix while they debate a compromise in the Senate.
"Democrats don't want a compromise. They don't want a long term extension of current law. They don't want a short term extension of current law. Yet they're not to blame for this pay cut for Medicare?" McConnell asked rhetorically.
July 9, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Veepstakes | Permalink | User Comments (75)
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Sorry if I am thick, but did the 10.6% pay cut pass or was it defeated?
Posted by: quickphil1943 | Jul 9, 2008 4:50:43 PM
Yes, it passed.
Kennedy's vote persuaded more republicans to join in the "yea".
Thank God for that, I was beginning to plan a revaluation of all my medicare patients.
Posted by: John | Jul 9, 2008 5:11:09 PM
Wow! So MDs get a 10.6% pay cut when treating medicare patients. I am a medicare patient, I sure hope that my MDs will still treat me.
Posted by: quickphil1943 | Jul 9, 2008 5:21:26 PM
This is what wrong with America. This crook is a disgrace to human race and he gets elected again and again in Massachuset.
Posted by: crookedpolitician | Jul 9, 2008 5:31:12 PM
Thanks to Senator Kennedy for make the vote happen for medicare.
Gracias Ted, we like you in Laredo,TX.
Posted by: Alex Quintanilla | Jul 9, 2008 5:32:00 PM
I think I see a little confusion here. The bill DID pass. This happened with Senator Kennedy's help. This means that the doctors are NOT GOING TO GET A 10.6% pay cut. This is a good thing for medicare health care providers and patients. However it is not good for Advantage policies from the insurance companies. I hope this clears up any mistaken perceptions. I personally don't agree with Senator Kennedy most of the time, but this does not make him a crook.
Posted by: Truth Hurts | Jul 9, 2008 6:02:17 PM
I'm so proud to see him back. I would love to see more backboned-people standing up for what they believe in and what the think is right for America. Go Ted!
Posted by: Kennedy Supporter | Jul 9, 2008 6:15:43 PM
Senator Kennedy was able to vote despite being treated for brain cancer, but McCain hasn't had time to vote since April 8, 2008.
Apparently, running for president leaves McCain too tired for little things like voting.
Posted by: Tally, FL | Jul 9, 2008 6:17:16 PM
Is that old geezer still living?
Posted by: Neal | Jul 9, 2008 6:21:46 PM
Isn't it wonderful that billionaire Mr. Ted Kennedy, Senator on the coat-tails of his older brothers, Former President JFK, and Former U.S. Attorney General, appointed by JFK, has what most of us cannot afford, even in a life or death situation......
HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
gee.....I wonder who is paying for HIS?!
Posted by: Piza Pie | Jul 9, 2008 6:31:04 PM
Wow...this is great...Congress has a 9% approval rating but they applaud this guy for surviving Chemo and doing something that Congrsss does very little of...VOTING!!! Do they get lollipops if they show up on time too????
Posted by: Gry | Jul 9, 2008 6:40:02 PM
I cannot believe the courage of Ted Kennedy - are any of you going through chemo right now - how many of you have had brain surgery - yet you spout out crap like 2-year olds. What in the he11 is the matter with you people? It does not make any difference what party you belong to - it is the courage exhibited by Senator Kennedy today and the respect of his colleagues who gave him a standing ovation - your crappy, uncaring comments are not even worthy of making it past the moderator.
Posted by: sandy | Jul 9, 2008 6:46:28 PM
Isn't it great that the Senate can cut Medicare payments to doctors and hospitals for those of us who worked and paid in to SS for 40 years. Yet these same doctors and hospitals are forced to treat illegal immigrants and not get paid one cent for the effort. That does not seem fair to me. The doctors and hospitals should have been given an increase based on actual medical costs. No wonder Americans give Congress such low marks.
Posted by: Mary | Jul 9, 2008 6:52:29 PM
Thats great, I'm glad he's back.
awakeontime.net
Posted by: Davon | Jul 9, 2008 6:54:43 PM
Ted Kennedy should be commended for his stand on Medicare Payments to Physicians.
However, I am thoroughly disgusted with this country giving money to every nation in the world for various causes. We need to support our own People. THERE ARE Americans who are without health care because of affordability AND THAT IS A DISGRACE TO THIS COUNTRY. We need to take care of our own people who built and made this country just as Senator Ted Kennedy expressed.
Posted by: Martha Smith | Jul 9, 2008 7:00:54 PM
MD's will still treat you just as they did before....only now, the whiners wont be gouging you as much as they did before. Seriously, our entire medical establishment is corrupt, and needs to be completely tossed out and replaced with something better.
Posted by: Ann | Jul 9, 2008 7:20:42 PM
Thank you Alex. I finally get it . . . a yes vote defeated the 10.6% pay cut. Got it.
Posted by: quickphil1943 | Jul 9, 2008 7:38:28 PM
I stood up and cheered! Senator Kennedy cares enough about this country to come out when seriously ill. I am the owner of a Healthcare Billing agency, and have been watching this very closely. I have assisted doctors in receiving reimbursement from medicare for over 20 years. I have personally witnessed the amount of quality time doctors spend with elderly patients, the rising overhead, and the rapidly decreasing reimbursements. If this 10.6% cut had gone through, I am positive many decent physicians would have HAD to refuse to see new Medicare patients. This is our future. Thank you Ted, and all who voted this bill through.
Posted by: MaryLayton | Jul 9, 2008 7:43:14 PM
Senator Kennedy is an example to us all. He could have skipped the vote and no one would have thought any less of him, but he got out and voted and made a difference. No matter what you think of him or of his politics or his history, you have to admire his courage to get out when others wouldn't have. Thanks, Ted. And God be with you.
Posted by: KC_1971 | Jul 9, 2008 7:45:53 PM
Wow amazing how many people with strong nasty opinions here are completely clueless as to what is going on!
This was a vote to RESTORE funds to doctors to encourage them to continue to treat Medicare patients.
The Republicans instead wanted the money shifted AWAY from our doctors and TO the insurance companies who give Republicans $$$ for the ads we see during their re-election campaigns.
Senator Kennedy, in spite of his recent brain surgery and energy-sapping chemotherapy, rode into town like a hero and rescued the Medicare funding and broke the Republican filibuster.
[Then some principle-less vote grubbing Republicans switched their votes so no one can say that they blocked the bill-- but they DID block the bill as they would not vote for it until Kennedy supplied the 60th vote and it was clear it would then pass anyway.]
Posted by: Lynn | Jul 9, 2008 7:53:11 PM
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