Politics | Ted Kennedy Kennedy Returns to Senate Ailing senator makes his first trip back since brain surgery By John Johnson Posted Jul 9, 2008 4:01 PM CDT Copied Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., followed by his nice Caroline Kennedy, and others, enters the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2008, for the first time since his brain surgery. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke) 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.” Read These Next "Admiral Piett" of the Star Wars universe died from COVID. Trump voter who supported mass deportations could be deported herself. Shooter opens fire on Texas Border Patrol Rescuer in floods gets a poignant question. Report an error