Kennedy Returns to Senate

Edward Kennedy returned to the Senate today for the first time since his surgery for brain cancer to cast a vote on Medicare legislation, CNN reports. Fellow senators greeted him with a long standing ovation. Kennedy, 76, made a thumbs-up gesture after casting his vote with a loud "aye." His vote helped Democrats break a GOP filibuster and overturn a 10% cut in Medicare payments to doctors.

“I return to the Senate today to keep a promise to our senior citizens,” Kennedy said in a statement, “and that’s to protect Medicare. Win, lose or draw, I wasn’t going to take the chance that my vote could make the difference.”