Senate

GOP senator Thad Cochran returning to DC next month

by Jordain Carney - 09/28/17 5:06 PM ET

Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), who President Trump suggested this week had been hospitalized, plans to return to Washington in mid-October, he announced Thursday.

“I will return to the Senate on October 16 in order to continue work on the appropriations process and participate in upcoming debates on the budget and tax reform,” Cochran said in a statement released by his office.

Cochran, 79, said his doctor told him he was “improving but recommended I remain at home in Mississippi another week. I will follow that advice.”

{mosads}The Mississippi Republican is slated to return to the Senate after it reconvenes following a weeklong break.

Cochran’s statement comes after Trump argued in a tweet on Wednesday that Senate Republicans’ ObamaCare repeal bill needed more time because one “yes” vote was in the hospital — an apparent reference to Cochran, who is being treated for a urological issue.

Cochran quickly responded on Twitter that he was not hospitalized but “recuperating at home in Mississippi and look forward to returning to work soon.”

Even if Cochran had been in Washington this week, Republicans did not have the votes to pass the repeal bill pushed by GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (La.).

GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), John McCain (Ariz.) and Rand Paul (Ky.) had announced their opposition to the bill. With a 52-seat majority, Republicans could only afford to lose two senators and still let Vice President Pence cast a tie-breaking vote.

Meanwhile, key senators, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), were undecided ahead of a possible vote, while GOP Sens. Ted Cruz (Texas) and Mike Lee (Utah) were also critical of the legislation. GOP leaders declined to hold a vote on the measure.