GOP hurtles toward healthcare vote despite questions on bill details, vote count

The Senate is expected to vote Tuesday afternoon to begin debate on a Republican healthcare bill that would repeal portions of Obamacare, despite uncertainty over key details and whether enough Republican senators will vote for changes to the law.

GOP leadership is expected to call for a vote on a procedural motion that would start as much as 20 hours of debate on the House-passed healthcare bill, the American Health Care Act. If that motion gets the 50 votes it needs, assuming a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Pence, the House bill would be stripped out and a new bill would be swapped in. It is not clear what that bill might be or if it could gain sufficient support.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced Tuesday's vote on the Senate floor Monday. "I will vote yes on Motion to Proceed," he said. "I urge my colleagues to do the same."

Pence plans to be in the Senate to break a tie if there is one, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price told reporters Monday.

It's also so close that the office of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he planned to returnTuesday to continue working on the legislation and on other issues, even after his brain cancer diagnosis.