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McCain Returning to Senate Next Week

Arizona Republican underwent treatment for brain cancer

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is expected to return to the Senate next week. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is expected to return to the Senate next week. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Sen. John McCain will return to Washington D.C. on Tuesday after undergoing treatment for brain cancer over the past several weeks during the Senate’s August recess.

“Senator McCain will return to the U.S. Senate next week as Congress begins a new legislative session and looks forward to continuing his work for the people of Arizona and the nation,” according to a statement from the Arizona Republican’s office Wednesday evening.

McCain left the Capitol for treatment after casting the third “nay” vote last month to kill the GOP effort to overhaul the 2010 health vote.

Since then, he and Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine — the other two GOP lawmakers who opposed it — have faced occasional criticism from President Donald Trump.

“3 Republicans and 48 Democrats let the American people down. As I said from the beginning, let ObamaCare implode, then deal. Watch!,” the president tweeted on July 28.

The chamber is now set to begin work on a bipartisan health care bill and hearings in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee are scheduled for September.

That effort joins a packed legislative agenda for the month that includes funding the government and addressing the upcoming debt ceiling.

McCain’s return could also signal movement on the fiscal year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act. Following the health care failure, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to bring up the measure, but he was opposed by his Kentucky colleague Sen. Rand Paul.

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