Bipartisan hugs and a waltz with Bernie Sanders: McCain’s moving return to DC

The Arizona senator’s return to Washington was met with cheers and applause, even as he spoke passionately about the need for compromise in the Senate

In an emotional return to the Capitol, John McCain gave an impassioned speech about the state of American politics shortly after voting to begin debate on repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Related: Senate Republicans vote to open debate on repealing and replacing Obamacare

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Trump lauds healthcare bill’s progress in Senate – video

Donald Trump gives a press conference with the Lebanese prime minister, Saad Hariri, at the White House on Tuesday, saying he is very happy with the healthcare vote in the Senate and calling it a ‘big step’. Trump also thanks John McCain, who returned to Washington despite his brain cancer diagnosis to cast a vote

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Senate Republicans vote to open debate on repealing and replacing Obamacare

Key step toward healthcare reform passes thanks in part to John McCain’s return, but shape of final legislation and chances of success remain unclear

Senate Republicans took a tentative step toward fulfilling seven years of promises to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on Tuesday, something they achieved only after the dramatic return of Senator John McCain, who was diagnosed last week with brain cancer.

The procedural vote, which passed without the support of a single Democrat, allows the Senate to open debate on repealing and replacing the ACA, popularly known as Obamacare, even though it remains unclear exactly what legislation they will be voting on.

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‘Female senators’ to blame for health bill struggle, says Republican congressman

Blake Farenthold of Texas appears to suggest that if those senators were male, he might challenge them to a duel ‘Aaron Burr-style’

A Republican lawmaker has blamed “female senators” for his party’s failure thus far to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s healthcare law, noting that if they were men he would challenge them to a duel.

Blake Farenthold, a congressman from Texas, singled out the women as the US Senate prepares to vote on Tuesday on whether to move forward with legislation that would dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

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Latest Republican health bill ‘a porkfest, a monstrosity’, Rand Paul says

  • Kentucky senator says he will not vote for bill to proceed to debate this week
  • Rightwinger Paul wants clean repeal of Affordable Care Act

Rand Paul, one of the conservative senators who has helped to hold up Republican healthcare reform, on Sunday derided the current Senate bill as a “monstrosity” and a “porkfest” and said he would not vote for it to proceed to debate this week.

Related: Republicans face two unpalatable options on replacement healthcare bill

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Donald Trump changes his mind on healthcare: ‘Get it done’ – video

US president Donald Trump has changed his mind on the future path for healthcare on Wednesday, telling senators to ‘get it done’ and adding that politicians ‘shouldn’t leave town until this is complete’. This marks a departure from Trump’s statements earlier in the week after the Republican party’s healthcare bill failed to gather enough support to pass and the president said he would instead ‘let Obamacare fail’

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Donald Trump changes his mind on healthcare: ‘Get it done’ – video

US president Donald Trump has changed his mind on the future path for healthcare on Wednesday, telling senators to ‘get it done’ and adding that politicians ‘shouldn’t leave town until this is complete’. This marks a departure from Trump’s statements earlier in the week after the Republican party’s healthcare bill failed to gather enough support to pass and the president said he would instead ‘let Obamacare fail’

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‘Let Obamacare fail’: Donald Trump lays out healthcare plan – video

Donald Trump says he is ‘disappointed’ by his party’s failure to agree on legislation that would have repealed and replaced Barack Obama’s signature healthcare act. Speaking to reporters after support for his bill fell apart, the US president said his administration was ‘in the position where we’ll let Obamacare fail’

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Trump pivots from Obamacare repeal to ordering Republicans to ‘let it fail’

Frustrated president still lacks major legislative achievements six months into tenure as Republican defections in Senate doom replacement healthcare bill

Donald Trump said Republicans should “let Obamacare fail”, after the dramatic collapse of efforts to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Related: American healthcare is at a crossroads. It's time to talk universal healthcare | Farzon A Nahvi

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Senate healthcare bill stumbles after Republican party defections – video report

The US Senate’s healthcare overhaul appears to be in serious trouble as two more Republicans say they oppose a revised version of the bill. Republican senators Jerry Moran and Mike Lee both pledged on Monday night to vote against the healthcare bill - defections that may effectively kill the plan

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