nice things you said about me. and i hope to impress upon you agn that it is an honor to serve the american people in your company. thank you, fellow senators. mr. president, i yield the floor. >> now for a look at the vote to begin debate on the health -- the health care law thou.

we turn to a reporter on capitol hill. us.elsey snell joins tell us how senator mcconnell wrangled the vote for this motion to procd. how did he have to lobby the last couple of votes? out talking to senators well into the day to the vote. he was particularly worried about a group of moderate senators from these expansion states that accepted medicaid expansion under the aca.he was speaking directly to them about how they could spend the money that medicaid would this -- would receive. he ended up th an amendment that would give a hundred million dollars to medicaid. this amendment is being added to another portion of anotherill that pbably isn't going to succeed. in all, it comes down to be a , but votes could

say that they took a step to save funding for medicaid. >> lisa murkowski and susan collins would vote nthey joined the 48 democrats in voting no . the final vote 51-50 with vice theident mike pence casting tie-breaking vote. >> they have a number of objections. both objected to the idea that the senate version of repeal would have repealed funding for planned parenthood. it had a one-year ban through arenthood.o planned it would have made it more difficult for the health care provider to ceive funding. they did not believe in the cuts made to medicaid. both women hail from states with a population uses medicaid for a wide range of resources, including very importantly, treatment for opioid addiction. both said they did not feel like

the solutions created in the senate addressed any of the problems happening in their states. >> a bit of drum on the senate floor with the return of senator john mccain from arizona after his surgery and the announcement of his cancer? after the vote today, he spoke floor.senate what was the reaction to both senator mccain's return and what he had to say in his speech? received.rmly who saw him enter the chamber to applause. his speech was ao very well received. he ward that the senate is moving in a direction that does not rely on regular order. he encouraged to senators to return to the things that make this a network, the deliberative process, the speaking with one another, and working through issues. mccain speech, i guess is the way i would say it. it spoke mh to the idea that he was the rational being in the room. he was going to be the adult at the table. democrats were not happy because repealed to vote t

the affordable care act come after raising a lot of questions in.t the going he said for weeks ago that he felt it was his job to allow debate on just about any bell, even if he didn't necessarily agree with the uerlying legislation, debate is debate. he followed through with that today. there is definitely a little bit of drama today. people generally anticipated that he would vote to start the debate. thisok into the debate week and looking at the article you contributed to with the headline "senate veso launch debate on revampinbamacare you anour colleagues poi out th republin leaders see this as a slimmed down version of repeal and replace, as perhaps their best chance. why is that? >> they know for sure they don't have the votes always called the bcra. it is the senate version of a repeal and replace bill. they will need 60 votes when it comes up later today or

tomorrow. if that is the case, they know they don't have the votes for that. they know they don't have the votes for a plane repeal -- a plain repeal. they are setting their sights low. they are looking at the bare minimum, the things they agree on and live to fight another day. try again to rewrite something that can past the house and the senate.that is a very long shot , a difficult path, but when they think is most like me to succeed for them at this point. >> so far, we have not seen real evidence of amendments being offered or developed off the floor or amendments on the floor. are there things you are hearing about that may be offered as a managed to the final bill? >> it is hard to know what commitments will be offered because we do not know exactly what the base bill will be. if you are a know, democrat or a republican, how mark.ll amend a question

i've heard all kinds of amendments floating around. we don't know what will actually be offered until pat -- and to what passes in the first set of votes, the substitute amendment, which we are actually debating and voting on in the coming weeks. >> we will keep an eye on your voting reports.follow her on twitter . thank you for being with us. >> thanks for having me. >> democrats from across capitol hill gathered on the senate steps after the vote.here is a look at the impromptu rally . >> first, i want to thank you all for being here. the power in this country is we the people. we are still [indiscernible] [no audio] are you with us?