Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, ill with brain cancer, returned to the Capitol to vote on long-stalled Medicare legislation. It was a surprise move designed to ease the bill past Republican stalling tactics.

One official said Wednesday that Kennedy flew to Washington from Boston after receiving his daily treatment for a brain tumor, and was returning immediately after the vote.

Kennedy was last in the Capitol in May. He became ill while home for the weekend at Cape Cod, Mass., and was subsequently diagnosed as having a brain tumor.