John McCain

=== Sixth and final Senate term ===
[[File:National March on the NRA 8040026.jpg|thumb|The ''National March on the NRA'' in August 2018. The [[National Rifle Association|NRA]] spent $7.74&nbsp;million to support John McCain.<ref>{{cite news |title=The 10 Politicians Who Have Benefited the Most From NRA Funding |url=https://fortune.com/2018/02/15/nra-contributions-politicians-senators/ |work=Forbes |date=February 15, 2018}}</ref>]]

McCain chaired the January 5, 2017, hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee where Republican and Democratic senators and intelligence officers, including [[James R. Clapper Jr.]], the [[Director of National Intelligence]], [[Michael S. Rogers]], the head of the [[National Security Agency]] and [[United States Cyber Command]] presented a "united front" that "forcefully reaffirmed the conclusion that the Russian government used hacking and leaks to try to influence the presidential election."<ref name="NYT_Jan6_2017">{{cite news |title=Countering Trump, Bipartisan Voices Strongly Affirm Findings on Russian Hacking |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/us/politics/taking-aim-at-trump-leaders-strongly-affirm-findings-on-russian-hacking.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105202350/http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/us/politics/taking-aim-at-trump-leaders-strongly-affirm-findings-on-russian-hacking.html |archive-date=January 5, 2017 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |first1=Matt |last1=Flegenheimer |first2=Scott |last2=Shane |date=January 5, 2017 |access-date=January 6, 2017}}</ref>

In June 2017, McCain voted to support President Trump's controversial [[2017 United States–Saudi Arabia arms deal|arms deal with Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Carney|first1=Jordain|title=Senate rejects effort to block Saudi arms sale|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/337614-senate-rejects-effort-to-block-saudi-arms-sale/|work=The Hill|date=June 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Cooper|first1=Helene|title=Senate Narrowly Backs Trump Weapons Sale to Saudi Arabia|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/world/middleeast/trump-weapons-saudi-arabia.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613234459/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/world/middleeast/trump-weapons-saudi-arabia.html |archive-date=June 13, 2017 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The New York Times|date=June 13, 2017}}</ref>

Repeal and replacement of Obamacare (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) was a centerpiece of McCain's 2016 re-election campaign,<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.academia.edu/35311502|author= Gautreaux, R|title= Framing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:A Content Analysis of Democratic and Republican Twitter Feeds|year= 2016|access-date= March 26, 2020|archive-date= November 20, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201120195817/https://www.academia.edu/35311502/Framing_the_Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act_A_Content_Analysis_of_Democratic_and_Republican_Twitter_Feeds|url-status= live}}</ref> and in July 2017, he said, "Have no doubt: Congress must replace Obamacare, which has hit Arizonans with some of the highest premium increases in the nation and left 14 of Arizona's 15 counties with only one provider option on the exchanges this year." He added that he supports affordable and quality health care, but objected that the pending Senate bill did not do enough to shield the [[Medicaid]] system in Arizona.<ref>Nowicki, Dan. [https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2017/07/14/john-mccain-senate-health-bill/477485001/ "McCain is not happy with the new Senate health bill. Here's what he wants"], ''[[The Arizona Republic]]'' (July 14, 2017).</ref>

In response to the death of Chinese [[2010 Nobel Peace Prize|Nobel Peace Prize]] laureate [[Liu Xiaobo]], who died of organ failure while in government custody, McCain said that "this is only the latest example of Communist China's assault on human rights, democracy, and freedom."<ref>{{cite news |title=Trump praises Xi soon after death of Chinese dissident |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/13/trump-praises-xi-soon-after-death-of-chinese-dissident.html |publisher=CNBC |date=July 13, 2017}}</ref>

In September 2017, as the [[Rohingya crisis in Myanmar]] became ethnic cleansing of the [[Persecution of Muslims in Myanmar|Rohingya Muslim minority]], McCain announced moves to scrap planned future military cooperation with Myanmar.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/john-mccain-to-punish-myanmar-in-defense-bill/article/2634199|first=Susan|last=Ferrechio|website=Washington Examiner|title=John McCain to punish Myanmar in defense bill|date=September 12, 2017}}</ref>

In October 2017, McCain praised President Trump's decision to decertify Iran's compliance with the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) while not yet withdrawing the U.S. from the agreement, saying that the Obama-era policy failed "to meet the multifaceted threat Iran poses. The goals President Trump presented in his speech today are a welcomed long overdue change."<ref name="Delk2017">{{cite news |last1=Delk |first1=Josh |title=McCain: Iran has 'literally been getting away with murder' |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/355396-mccain-iran-was-literally-been-getting-away-with-murder/ |access-date=September 1, 2018 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=October 13, 2017}}</ref>

==== Brain tumor diagnosis and surgery ====
[[File:John McCain returns to Senate and delivers remarks on July 25, 2017.webm|thumb|McCain returns to the Senate for the first time following his cancer diagnosis and delivers remarks on July&nbsp;25, 2017, after casting a crucial vote on the [[American Health Care Act]].]]

On July 14, 2017, McCain underwent a minimally invasive [[craniotomy]] at [[Mayo Clinic#Locations|Mayo Clinic Hospital]] in Phoenix, Arizona, to remove a blood clot above his left eye. His absence prompted [[Senate Majority Leader]] [[Mitch McConnell]] to delay a vote on the [[American Health Care Act of 2017|Better Care Reconciliation Act]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/15/politics/john-mccain-blood-clot/index.html|title=McConnell delays health care vote while McCain recovers from surgery|publisher=CNN|last1=Mattingly|first1=Phil|last2=Raju|first2=Manu|last3=Almasy|first3=Steve|date=July 17, 2017|access-date=July 19, 2017}}</ref> Five days later, Mayo Clinic doctors announced that the laboratory results from the surgery confirmed the presence of a [[glioblastoma]], which is a very aggressive cancerous [[brain tumor]].<ref name="tumor">{{Cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/19/health/gupta-mccain-glioblastoma/index.html |title=Sen. John McCain has brain cancer, aggressive tumor surgically removed |last=Scutti |first=Susan |publisher=CNN |date=July 19, 2017}}</ref> Standard treatment options for this tumor include chemotherapy and radiation, although even with treatment, average survival time is approximately 14 months.<ref name="tumor" /> McCain was a survivor of previous cancers, including melanoma.<ref name="Altman" /><ref name="abc1606">{{cite news|title=McCain Recovering After Cancer Surgery|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=123056&page=1|access-date=July 20, 2017|work=ABC News|date=August 21, 2000}}</ref>

President Donald Trump publicly wished Senator McCain well,<ref>Caplan, David. [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen-john-mccain-brain-tumor/story?id=48736008 "Sen. John McCain diagnosed with brain tumor after blood clot removed"], ''ABC News'' (July 19, 2017).</ref> as did many others, including former president Obama.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/887836712822558720|title=John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John|last=Obama|first=Barack|date=July 19, 2017|via=Twitter|access-date=July 23, 2017}}{{better source needed|date=January 2021}}</ref> On July 19, McCain's senatorial office issued a statement that he "appreciates the outpouring of support he has received over the last few days. He is in good spirits as he continues to recover at home with his family in Arizona. He is grateful to the doctors and staff at Mayo Clinic for their outstanding care, and is confident that any future treatment will be effective." On July 24, McCain announced via Twitter that he would return to the United States Senate the following day.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sullivan |first=Sean |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/trumps-tough-talk-on-health-care-aims-to-revive-flagging-senate-effort/2017/07/24/a8acdb3e-7091-11e7-9eac-d56bd5568db8_story.html |title=McCain's return to Senate injects momentum into GOP health-care battle |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 24, 2017 |access-date=July 25, 2017}}</ref>

==== Return to the Senate ====
[[File:John McCain Votes No on Obamacare Repeal.jpg|left|thumb|McCain votes no on repealing the Affordable Care Act by giving a thumbs down.]]

McCain returned to the Senate on July 25, less than two weeks after brain surgery. He cast a deciding vote allowing the Senate to begin consideration of bills to replace the Affordable Care Act. Along with that vote, he delivered a speech criticizing the [[party-line vote|party-line voting]] process used by the Republicans, as well as by the Democrats in passing the Affordable Care Act to begin with, and McCain also urged a "return to regular order" using the usual committee hearings and deliberations.<ref>{{cite news|author=Werner, Erica|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/mccain-fighting-cancer-turns-gop-kills-health-bill-48905650|title=McCain, fighting cancer, turns on GOP and kills health bill|publisher=[[ABC News]]|date=July 28, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729005618/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/mccain-fighting-cancer-turns-gop-kills-health-bill-48905650|archive-date=July 29, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Cowan, Richard|author2=Oliphant, James| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-mccain-idUSKBN1AA2MB |title=In hero's return, McCain blasts Congress, tells senators to stand up to Trump|work=Reuters |date=July 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Alonso-Zaldivar, Ricardo|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/mccains-return-heavy-with-drama-for-obamacare-repeal/2017/07/25/70cb9de4-710f-11e7-8c17-533c52b2f014_story.html|title=Cheers for McCain, then a speech like impassioned prophet|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=July 25, 2017|quote=Obama and the Democrats shouldn't have pushed the Affordable Care Act through on party-line votes when they controlled Washington back in 2010, McCain said, 'and we shouldn't do the same with ours.{{nbsp}}...'|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725101314/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/mccains-return-heavy-with-drama-for-obamacare-repeal/2017/07/25/70cb9de4-710f-11e7-8c17-533c52b2f014_story.html|archive-date=July 25, 2017}} The same Associated Press article was published at: {{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/07/26/us/politics/ap-us-mccain.html|title=McCain Delivers a Key Health Care Vote, Scolding Message|work=The New York Times|date=July 26, 2017|access-date=July 28, 2017|archive-date=July 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728212228/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/07/26/us/politics/ap-us-mccain.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> On July 28, he cast the decisive vote against the Republicans' final proposal that month, the so-called "skinny repeal" option, which failed 49–51.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/07/28/politics/john-mccain-maverick-health-care/index.html|title=John McCain's maverick moment|last=Fox|first=Lauren|date=July 28, 2017|publisher=CNN|access-date=July 28, 2017}}</ref> McCain supported the passage  of the [[Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017]].

McCain did not vote in the Senate after December 2017, remaining instead in Arizona to undergo cancer treatment. On April 15, 2018, he underwent surgery for an infection relating to [[diverticulitis]] and the following day was reported to be in stable condition.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/383446-mccain-recovering-after-surgery-for-infection/|title=McCain recovering after surgery for infection|author=Samuels, Brett|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=April 16, 2018|access-date=April 16, 2018}}</ref>