US Vice President Pence breaks tie as Senate votes to debate healthcare bill
Senator John McCain voted ‘yes’ just just days after revealing he had been diagnosed with brain cancer.
US Vice President Mike Pence had to break a 50-50 tie as the Senate voted by a hair to start debating Republican legislation to tear down much of the Obama healthcare law.
The vote gives President Donald Trump and Republican leaders a crucial initial victory but launches a week-long debate promising an uncertain final outcome.
The 51-50 vote kept alive hopes of delivering on promises that countless Republican candidates have campaigned on for years – repealing President Barack Obama’s 2010 healthcare overhaul.
Mr Pence presided over the Senate during the vote, which began after dozens of protesters shouted “Kill the bill” and “Shame” from the chamber’s visitors’ gallery.
One pivotal “Yes” vote was cast by Senator John McCain, who flew to the Capitol just days after revealing he had been diagnosed with brain cancer and was home considering the next steps in his treatment.
With Republicans wielding a narrow 52-48 majority, the 80-year-old’s appearance let Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell lose two Republican senators and still prevail – wriggle room that would have shrunk to just one in Mr McCain’s absence.
Mr McCain entered the chamber 29 minutes into the roll call to a standing ovation from members of both parties and visitors watching from above.
Smiling, he exchanged embraces with Mr McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and others, then cast his “Yes” vote with two thumbs up.
Before the vote, Mr McConnell declared “We can’t let this moment slip by,” essentially lecturing Republican politicians to give their party’s high-profile legislation a chance to move forward.
“We can’t let it slip by. We’ve been talking about it too long.”
Moderate Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski were the only Republicans to defect from their party’s quest.
Their complaints about the legislation had included its cuts in Medicaid, the health insurance programme for the poor, the disabled and nursing home residents.
Not a single Democrat backed the effort to overthrow Mr Obama’s signature domestic legislative achievement.
