Watch McCain’s first full Senate speech since brain cancer diagnosis
Jul 25, 2017, 12:50 PM | Updated: Mar 1, 2018, 3:57 pm
PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) returned to work on Tuesday about one week after announcing that he had been diagnosed with brain cancer following surgery.
After receiving a standing ovation, McCain voted for a Senate health care bill that would eviscerate the American Care Act one passed under former President Barack Obama.
He then gave a speech that lasted about 15 minutes, which can be seen in its entirety above.
McCain began his address on the Senate floor by speaking about how much he loved his job and how good it felt to be back at work in the nation’s capital.
“Make no mistake, my service here is the most important job I have had in my life,” he said. “And I am so grateful to the people of Arizona for the privilege – for the honor – of serving here and the opportunities it gives me to play a small role in the history of the country I love.”
He also said that, while he may have voted to remove Obamacare, the Senate still had a long way to go on its health care bill before it received his stamp of approval.
“I will not vote for the bill as it is today,” he said. “It’s a shell of a bill right now. We all know that. I have changes urged by my state’s governor that will have to be included to earn my support for final passage of any bill. I know many of you will have to see the bill changed substantially for you to support it.”
McCain also criticized the recent practice of crafting the bill in closed-door meetings before demanding a vote. He called for Republicans to work across the aisle on the issue and not push it through on party lines as Democrats did with Obamacare.
“What have we to lose by trying to work together to find those solutions? We’re not getting much done apart,” he said.
“I don’t think any of us feels very proud of our incapacity. Merely preventing your political opponents from doing what they want isn’t the most inspiring work.”
McCain said he planned to be in D.C. for a few days before heading back to Arizona to treat his cancer but promised to be back.
“I have every intention of returning here and giving many of you cause to regret all the nice things you said about me,” he said with a smile.